


Given the Chance

by LEYTON_NALEY



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut, Strong Female Characters, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-05-03 17:36:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 90,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5300510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LEYTON_NALEY/pseuds/LEYTON_NALEY
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: She hated him with a passion. He was everything she despised about Starling City's elite, all wrapped up into one insanely attractive, infuriatingly possessive man. The fact that he didn't hate her at all definitely complicated things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I already posted some of this on Fanfiction.net, but since I finally made an account on this site, I wanted to share it here as well. I'd appreciate some feedback even though a few other chapters are available on another website. I might be posting my other stories on here also, but that all depends on the kind of response I get back from this story.

Felicity Smoak strode into the Queen Consolidated building, muttering curses as she made her way to her office. Some worker at her favorite coffee shop got her order wrong, and she didn't have the time to wait for him to make another one. Without her coffee, she was a terror - even she couldn't deny that one. Then, she was finding it impossible to park her car, seeing as basically all of the spaces in the parking lot were occupied. She swore she had this problem every morning. Now, she had five minutes to get upstairs for a meeting with the top members of Queen Consolidated that would most likely make her sick to her stomach.

"Ms. Smoak?"

She turned around, coming face to face with her assistant, Barry.

"What is it?"

"The meeting that you had scheduled at 8:30 started ten minutes ago," he informed her, looking scared out of his mind.

Was she really that intimidating?

"What do you mean it started ten minutes ago?" she snapped, entering her office and scooping up her papers roughly. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know. Mr. Queen just sent out an email notifying everyone."

Her head lifted from her busy hands, blood rushing as she heard his name. Of course he was behind this. Everything he did only seemed to infuriate her. Ever since she got promoted to head of the IT Department and had to start attending the board meetings, she got to see how his input was destroying the company. Okay, maybe that was a little exaggerated. Since he took over as CEO after his father's death, the company actually started to do better. But still, she didn't agree with how he chose to handle things.

To put it simply, she hated him. He was obnoxious, self-centered, arrogant, and rude. He walked around like he was royalty, and with a name like Queen it probably wasn't hard to do as much. He yelled at his assistants, barked out unnecessary orders, and took credit for everyone else's hard work. It wasn't difficult for her to come to the conclusion that all he did was sit behind a big desk and formulate ideas for how his workers could keep his company successful.

Yeah, she  _hated_  him.

The funny thing was, they had never even spoken directly. As a matter of fact, she wasn't sure he had the slightest idea who she was. Unlike her normal, outspoken self, in the face of him and all the other higher-ups, she was quiet. She rarely voiced her opinion, let alone disagreed with something. She blended into the background. She was sure he hadn't looked her way once in all of her time at the company.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Smoak," Barry apologized, shaking profusely. "I tried to call you, but you didn't answer your phone. Which, I'm not saying is your fault because you can't be expected to answer you phone every single time. I just-"

That was the moment she stopped listening to Barry's rambling, and slapped a hand onto her hardwood desk. Fuck, fuck,  _fuck!_  She had forgotten her phone. She imagined it now, resting innocently and forgotten by her bedside. That phone was her life. There was no way she could survive the day without it. But, it looked like she didn't have a choice.

"Can you just take care of my calls until I come back please?" she asked, cutting Barry off.

"Uh, of course," he nodded, watching as she began walking away. "Good luck with the meeting, Ms. Smoak."

Her heels clacked against the tile as she made her way to the elevator. As she waited for it to open, she began to prepare herself for the humility she was about to endure. Most likely, she would be scarred for life. She realized that there was nothing she could do about it once she was riding up to the top floor. When the doors opened, she let out one last reassuring breath before heading for the conference room.

The walls were made of glass, so as soon as she rounded that corner, all heads turned to look at her. Well, all heads except for Oliver Queen's, who was currently speaking to the group with his back to her. Her stomach sunk. She pushed open the glass door, ducking her head as she found her seat. Thankfully, Oliver didn't pause in his speech, and the others focused back in on what he was saying. As quietly as possible, she arranged her papers together, taking out her notepad in case she wanted to take notes. Her favorite red pen was sticking out of the spiral of her notepad, and she took it out to chew on the top absent-mindedly.

"...and so that's why cutting back on the funds for the IT Department would be a smart choice for the company right now," Oliver said, making Felicity's eyes jump up from her paper to stare at his speaking figure.

"What?!" she exclaimed, causing all heads to turn her way.

Everyone gave her that snotty, my-haircut-cost-more-than-your-entire-apartment look. Oliver Queen just raised his eyebrows at her outburst, obviously not used to people speaking out against him. On any other day, she would have been embarrassed. Hell, she would have never even spoken up. But on this morning - the morning that every possible thing that could go wrong, did - she wasn't backing down.

"You can't cut the funds for the IT Department," she continued, locked in a staring match with the devil himself.

His eyebrows were furrowed now. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

His head swiveled around the room as if he really had no clue whether she was a worker here, or some loon from off the street. Her ego should have been bruised, but like earlier mentioned, this was not an ordinary morning for her. And she really could not care less what Oliver Queen thought of her.

"Felicity Smoak, head of the IT Department," she introduced with importance.

"Ah," he nodded in understanding. "Well, Ms. Smoak, if you had been here on time, you would have been able to hear my reasoning behind it."

Low blow. Even for him. She still cringed.

"I would have been here on time,  _Mr. Queen_ ," she began, watching as a glint of amusement flashed across his eyes for a split second as she said his name, "if you hadn't changed the meeting time."

"I sent out an email," he justified simply.

She plastered on the smile she used when talking to relatives she saw once every few years. "Unfortunately, I left my phone at home."

"That is unfortunate," he agreed. "But it's also not my problem."

She had never wanted to slap a person more than she did right now. His smug smirk had her nails digging into into the heels of her palm as she tried to keep her calm composure.

"No, it's not. Your problem is with me disagreeing about your intentions with the IT Department."

His face remained even as she saw him concede. "Okay, fine. Enlighten me."

"Well, according to recent polls, the IT Department at Queen Consolidated is striving compared to the other departments. What do you expect to happen when our funds are cut?"

"I'm sure the department will be fine."

"That's an awfully big chance to take, Mr. Queen."

"What can I say? I'm a risk taker, Ms. Smoak."

God, he was so smug. The look he gave her said that he was going to do this no matter what she said. At this point, she was only embarrassing herself. And even she knew when it was time to retreat. So, folding her lips together, she accepted that she'd lost this battle.

"Now, onto more pressing matters," he continued, shooting one last smirk her way.

She zoned him out. If he said another word after that last sentence, she couldn't recall it. Just the sound of his voice was giving her a headache. Hopefully the meeting wouldn't last much longer. Then, she could take this up with Walter.

Walter was basically her best friend at the company. Not that she had a lot of friends at the company, because really she only had a handful. But Walter definitely outranked all of them. He's the one who hired her. He's the one who promoted her. He's the one who heard her out.

He was also Oliver's stepfather, but she chose not to dwell on that.

* * *

Once the meeting ended, Felicity rushed back to her office. She logged onto her email to ask Walter if she could come by his office. Sure, she could have just asked him in the conference room, but she didn't want to be in there a second longer than she had to. Everyone in there had been staring her down more than usual, and she knew it was because she'd stepped out of bounds in there, but she didn't regret it. Plus, Oliver had already been making his way over to him at the conclusion of the meeting.

Barry knocked on her door just after the email was sent, hesitantly coming in after her okay. He knew the meeting had left her in a bad mood without a word, and had been extra cautious around her so far. She'd noticed, but only because he always got that way when she was upset. It was crazy to think they were only a few years apart.

"Ms. Smoak, there were two calls while you were gone."

"Who were they from and what did they want?" she prompted, eyes glued to her inbox.

"You have a doctor's appointment next week," he read from his sticky note, glancing up at her before he continued. "And Sara wants to remind you about meeting her for drinks on Friday."

Felicity sighed, nodding her head. After what had just happened in that conference room, there was no way she'd have time for a doctor's appointment next week. Looks like she would have to reschedule. Drinks with Sara was suddenly the thing she was looking forward to most now.

"Okay, thank you, Barry."

"Your welcome, Ms. Smoak," he replied, shutting her office door lightly.

Felicity watched her computer screen, bouncing her knee, when the response email from Walter suddenly appeared. She clicked on it, reading through it quickly. He told her that he was free to talk, and to head right over. Without grabbing anything, she speed-walked over to the elevators, and then rode up to his office. He was sitting behind his desk when she walked in, wearing the polite smile he always wore in her presence.

"Felicity, please sit down," he instructed, gesturing towards one of the leather chairs facing his desk.

"Thank you for seeing me, Walter," she said, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other.

"It's no problem," he assured, getting straight down to business. "I'm assuming this is about the cuts on your department."

She nodded. "Yes, and let me just be the first to say that I strongly disagree with this decision."

He was speaking before she could get anything else out. "You're actually the only one to say you disagree with the decision."

Felicity scoffed, completely baffled with the thought. "You're telling me no one else is concerned about what this could do the department?"

"Mr. Queen made some good points at the meeting. His plan is clear and well thought out. There are some things he kept to himself, but the details of it all really weren't necessary to get the point across."

"So, I'm guessing you're on board with this whole thing, too," she muttered, adjusting her glasses.

"There's nothing I can do to stop it, Felicity. The final decision is up to Oliver."

"Well, you can talk to him," she suggested. "Maybe you can convince him to cut the funds for another department."

Walter opened his mouth to speak, stopping at the abrupt sound of knocking. Felicity turned around in sync with the door opening. Standing there was the bane of her existence, Oliver Queen. Kill her now.

"Walter, I-" he paused, taking in her presence. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company, Walter."

"It's fine, Oliver. What can I help you with?"

He glanced at her, frowning subtly. "I'll just come back later."

Felicity stood, blood boiling just from five seconds near that man. "I was just leaving. I'll talk to you later, Walter."

She walked towards Oliver, eyes locked with his to show that he intimidated her in no way. He nodded his head to her politely, holding the door open as she stepped through it.

"Ms. Smoak," he murmured.

"Mr. Queen," she returned, feeling his eyes on her as she walked off.

His gaze was hot on her skin, and she turned around briefly to see that she was correct, and not imagining it.

She smirked. That bastard was checking her out.

* * *

After the meeting, Oliver was damn near exhausted. He didn't get any sleep the night before, having been stressing about the outcome of the meeting. If he had known everyone would be on board with his proposal, he would have slept a decent amount. Well, almost everyone.

There was the one person who spoke out against him. Felicity Smoak. He recognized her from other meetings. She never spoke up, so he never questioned her presence. In fact, he had gotten it in his head that she was one of the executives. Finding out she was the head of the IT Department caught him by surprise, for more reason than one.

He tried to talk to Walter when the meeting concluded, but someone stopped him along the way. A few people lingered around to speak with him before he was able to make his getaway. Then, he headed for Walter's office, knowing they had things to discuss. He opened the door, cut short in his words at the sight of Felicity Smoak sitting across from Walter. They exchanged brief words before she was making her way out, shooting daggers at him the whole way.

God, she hated him.

He meant to just make sure she was really leaving, but became distracted by her ass. It had to be illegal to have an ass like that. The skirt she had on was tight, and he couldn't help the tinge of arousal that rushed through his veins. He was sure he was burning holes straight through her, but the view was too incredible to turn away from. Walter's voice snapped him out of it.

"You can come in now, Oliver."

Oliver cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment of being caught. He shut the door behind him, taking the seat Felicity had just vacated.

"I didn't know you were so close with Ms. Smoak," Oliver told him, adjusting in his seat.

"I hired her," Walter informed him. "She's a very intelligent woman."

"I'm guessing her current position is of your doing as well."

"She earned that promotion. She works harder than almost any employee here," Walter praised, fixing Oliver with a look. "But you didn't come here to talk about Ms. Smoak, did you?"

Oliver gave him a tight smile, shaking his head. "No. I actually came here to discuss the meeting. I think the overall response was great."

"It was," Walter agreed. "Your mother will be pleased to hear it."

"Let's not get her too excited until it actually works. Now that I know we have the support, we can put the plan into action right away. Hopefully we'll start seeing results within the next few months."

"That's ambitious," Walter commented.

Oliver shrugged, his lips twitching with the pride he was trying to conceal. "I have big plans for this company."

* * *

Felicity furiously typed away at the computer, decoding yet another virus. She used to love doing this, but she had to so frequently now, she started to grow sick of it. Just as she finished another one, there was a sharp rap on her door. She looked up, seeing Barry standing sheepishly by the doorway.

"Ms. Smoak, I'm going to head home for the day," he told her, tugging on his laptop bag strap.

She glanced over at the clock, realizing how late it was. It didn't really surprise her though. She was always one of the last people to leave the office. There really wasn't much excitement at home, and work helped cover up the loneliness that came with an empty house. Sure, she did have friends. Sara was her best one and they spent nearly every weekend together. Unfortunately, Sara had a night job at some club, so hanging out with her after work was never really an option, except for the couple days a week she got off.

"Okay, Barry. See you tomorrow," she dismissed, giving him a small smile.

She knew Barry only stayed as late as he did because of her. He was an excellent assistant and she knew he was going to go far in life. She didn't think he belonged in the IT Department. She thought he should be pursuing a job in science. Maybe she would talk to him about it sometime. She could put in a good word to Walter, and maybe get him transferred. Well, it was something to think about.

It only took fifteen more minutes of effortless decoding before there was another knock on her door. Her stomach sank because after Barry left, there really shouldn't be anyone at the office.

"Come in," she called, taking hold of a pen.

The door opened slowly, revealing Oliver Queen. What the hell did he want? She didn't even try to hide her disgust. She rolled her eyes, setting the pen back down. He shut the door behind him, walking until he was standing in front of her desk.

"Ms. Smoak, I was surprised to see you were still here," he said, wearing a smile.

"I stay late," she explained. "Something I'm sure you've never heard of before. Did you fall asleep at your desk and see my lights on your way out?"

He let out a laugh, ignoring the harshness of her words. "I actually stay late quite often."

She scoffed. "Forgive me, but I find that a little hard to believe."

He shrugged. "Most people do."

That caught her by surprise, but he didn't seem to notice. "What exactly are you doing here, Oliver?"

"Oliver? Are we on a first name basis now?" he asked, seeing her not so amused expression. "Well,  _Felicity_ , I was on my way out, when I noticed your lights on from downstairs. I came back up to see if I could walk you to your car."

He'd come back up for her?  _What?_

She crossed her arms, standing up. "And why would you want to do that?"

His shoulders lifted again. "Starling City is a dangerous place at night. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you on your way home."

"Though I appreciate the gesture,  _Mr. Queen_ ," she started, making him chuckle when she said his name, "I can take care of myself."

"Oh, I'm sure you can," he agreed. "You have quite a fire inside of you, Felicity. It's very rare for someone to speak out against me when everyone else is on my side. Especially those people."

"So, what? Were you impressed?"

"Not at the moment," he admitted. "Honestly, I was pissed."

"But?" she prompted, knowing something had to change his mind if he were standing in her office right now.

"But... I realized how much courage that must have taken."

"I take my job very seriously."

"And I appreciate that. Not too many employees here do."

There was a long moment of silence where she tried to figure out how sincere he was being and he tried to figure out how much she still hated him. Then she walked around her desk so that there was nothing standing between them. The world seemed to shift, but she pushed away the thought.

"Thanks for the offer, but I can walk myself to my car," she declined, watching as his face fell.

"My intentions weren't anything more than just making sure you got to your car safely, Felicity," he assured.

"I don't care what your intentions were. I still think you're an ass, and like I said before, I can take care of myself."

"If some guy comes out of nowhere and attacks you, you won't be able to just talk your way out of it," he pointed out, losing his smile.

"Talking is not the only thing I'm good at," she said, making that grin return just as fast as it had left. "Okay, that is not what I meant."

"What exactly did you mean?" he questioned, grinning so hard, she wanted to slap it off his face.

"I meant that I took several self-defense classes in college and I still meet with my trainer on a regular basis," she informed him, stating the fact proudly, because yeah, she was proud of herself for it.

His face blanked, and she knew what she had revealed surprised him. His next words surprised her just as much.

"Is it wrong that I find that extremely hot?"

Her jaw dropped, but he didn't give any sign that he'd regretted saying it. She racked her brain for a response, but was drawing up empty.

"Do, uh- you do realize what you just said, right?" she stuttered.

His eyes locked with hers as he took a step forward. "Yes, and I hope you aren't planning on me taking it back."

She cleared her throat, finally gaining back her normalcy. "No. What I'm planning on is you leaving my office and forgetting we ever had this conversation."

He nodded, seeming to finally be accepting defeat. He looked down at the floor as he began to walk away, stopping short to turn and face her one last time. "I can leave your office, Felicity, but I won't forget this conversation."

She didn't know how to respond, so she didn't. All she could do was watch as he left, closing the door behind him. That conversation had been a roller-coaster of emotions. She was pissed, confused, aroused, and pissed again all within a thousand words. Oliver Queen was complicated.

And hot.

Oh Lord, was he hot.

Shaking her head at the woman in her, she walked back around her desk. Sitting down on her chair, she focused back on her work. Well, she tried to focus. Her brain kept going back to Oliver Queen and the way he looked in that three-piece suit. She told herself she wouldn't be human if she didn't find him attractive. That helped her guilty conscience a little.

After giving up on trying to work, she closed out of all her tabs and shut down her computer. She grabbed her bag, double-checking that her tablet was safely inside. The walk down to the parking lot was a lot more worrying with the thought of criminals lurking about. She cursed Oliver for messing with her nerves.

Once she was safely in her car, she locked up her door fast and started the engine. Just as she was about to back out, something in the mirror caught her eye. There was one other car in the parking lot, and in it sat Oliver Queen.

He'd waited for her.

Their eyes locked, and she could see the smirk on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him, driving off and fighting back the urge to give him the finger.

She was having an even bigger challenge fighting off the urge to smile.

 

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the amazing response to the first chapter. I'm still figuring this site out, so it'll take a little while before I'm comfortable with it. Here is the next chapter! :)

At work the next day, Felicity was in a much better mood. She got a good amount of rest the night before, and had plenty of time to stop for coffee in the morning. The doctor's appointment she knew she wasn't going to be able to fit in the time to make, was postponed a few months - it was just a simple check-up, yet she still didn't trust her hectic schedule - when she hoped that the funding cuts wouldn't be as big of an issue for her. Plus, her phone was in her hand instead of on her nightstand, and there was a parking spot right in front of the building. Her morning was nearly perfect.

Until she remembered the funding for her department was being cut.

As she sat behind her desk, she pondered what this was going to mean. Most likely, it would be her breaking the news to her department. Oliver would never climb down from his throne to address a bunch of angry workers. She didn't even want to think about all the projects she was going to have to end or put on hold. After thirty minutes of thinking, she decided she was just going to have to find another way to get the money.

She opened up a new tab on her computer and began to research the largest companies in Starling City. If she was going to get the department money, it was going to have to come from an investor. She definitely didn't have the money to fund it. As she went through the companies, she scribbled down a few possibilities. Though her chances were probably slim, she decided to try anyways. It was worth a shot.

The first company she called told her right off the bat that they weren't interested. That didn't make her lose hope just yet. The next company she called was apparently going bankrupt, and asked her if Queen Consolidated could invest in  _them_. By the fifth call, her hope was basically disintegrated. Still, she dialed the number, crossing her fingers for even the smallest of money.

"Palmer Technologies, how may I help you?" the perky voice on the other end asked.

"Hi, this is Felicity Smoak. I'm the head of the IT Department at Queen Consolidated, and I'd like to speak with someone about investing in our department."

"Okay, I'll transfer you."

"Thank you."

Felicity waited patiently while the calming tune played, gnawing on the end of her pen. When a male voice finally picked up on the other end, she sat up straighter in her seat.

"Hello?"

"Yes, hi," she greeted. "I'm Felicity Smoak. I'm the head of the-"

"My assistant already filled me in," he interrupted.

"Oh," she murmured, waiting for him to say something else.

"I don't have a final answer yet, but it's definitely something I'm considering. Would you mind if I stop by on Thursday for a meeting?"

"Uh, that would be perfect," she agreed, grabbing a sticky note from nearby. "Any specific time?"

"How's 1:30?"

"Perfect," she told him, writing down the time. "Thank you so much, Mr...?"

"Palmer," he finished.

Her jaw dropped. "Palmer? As in Ray Palmer? As in owner of Palmer Technologies?" she questioned, in complete shock.

"Yes, that would be me," he confirmed with a small chuckle. "I'll see you on Thursday, Ms. Smoak."

"Um, okay, and thanks again," she sputtered, already feeling her face begin to heat in embarrassment.

There was a small beep and she knew he had hung up. Despite her embarrassment at the absolute fool she'd made of herself, her joy was overtaking her. She knew that it hadn't been a yes, but that was the farthest she had gotten with getting her department more money. Even if it didn't work out, she could at least say she tried.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

Oliver stepped out of the elevator, his briefcase in hand. He was on his way to an important meeting at one of the Queen Consolidated branches, which would be determining whether or not his project to cut back on the IT Department funding would become a reality. It was 12:30, and the appointment was scheduled at 1:45. He had plenty of time to get there, but he learned right away that punctuality is a priority when it came to life.

Standing in front of his building, he waited for his limo to come around. It usually took a few minutes, but he never minded the wait. He pulled out his phone, skimming through his email for any important messages he might have missed. Then, he got that feeling in the pit of his stomach, the one that told him she was near. He didn't know why, but ever since they'd spoken, he'd sensed her presence around the office.

Turning around, he spotted her walking out of the front entrance of the building. His heart stuttered a little at the sight of her, and he blamed it on the damn skirt she wore, which was really starting to send his thoughts a very private route. Without his own control, he made his way towards her, a new mission on his mind.

"Hey," he said, and she startled at his sudden greeting.

One look from her, and he knew he was still on her Shit List. She purposefully faced the other way, but didn't make any other move. So, he angled himself so that he was now facing her again, grinning in success when she stayed in her same spot.

"Where you headed?" he asked, noticing that she had her purse with her.

"Lunch break," she explained, like he'd asked a stupid question. "You're not going to cut those, too, are you?"

Yeah, that hurt. He shook his head, thinking of something he could say that wouldn't piss her off.

"You look nice today," he blurted, that not being what he'd intended to come out, but her beauty was like a siren in his face.

She seemed taken aback by his compliment, but he saw her lips twitch in an almost-smile. "Thank you."

He felt like he'd won the lottery, and that was saying a lot considering he could buy an island right now and still feel comfortable with his bank account. He racked his brain for something else he could say that would get him that full smile, but she spoke before he could.

"Where are you off to?"

He followed her eyes to the briefcase in his hand. "Oh, I have a meeting at one of the other branches. I hate attending those things, but they're kind of mandatory for me. Sometimes I think of making up some excuse and skipping out on them, but I always chicken out before I actually go through with it." He realized what he'd just said, and his eyes widened. "Shit, I was  _not_  supposed to say that."

Felicity laughed, like,  _actually laughed_ , and his heart stopped at the noise. "It's okay. Trust me, I'm with you on that one. Meetings are the worst. All those people looking at you like you don't belong in there but in some rip-off franchise... Yeah, not fun."

He smiled, trying to keep this conversation going. "It's good to know I'm not the only one wishing I could spontaneously combust during one of those things. But to be fair, when Cheryl brings donuts, it is a little fun."

Again, she laughed, this one more full than the one before. "I actually play this game in my head to keep from going insane," she confessed, and he stepped closer to her beyond his own knowledge.

If she noticed or cared, she didn't say anything.

"What's the game?" he questioned, curious now, and even more so since she was already grinning at the idea of it.

"Every time Thomas says the word 'um', I add a tally to my notepad. And every time Meredith starts clicking her pen really fast but catches herself, I add a tally. Basically, I know everyone's annoying habit in that conference room, and every time they do it, I mark it down. Then, by the end of the meeting, I add them all up and see who the winner is."

He grinned, somehow even more drawn to her for it. "What's my annoying habit?" he asked, and she swallowed noticeably.

"Um..." she trailed off, biting her lower lip as she gazed down at the ground.

He locked in on it, feeling a surge of desire shoot through his veins. He could feel his heart rate quickening, and knew he had to look away if he was going to maintain his professionalism. Why the fuck was she so sexy? He wasn't used to this, and something told him he never would be.

"Is it really that bad?" he questioned, and she glanced up at him, humor in her eyes.

She tucked her lips in, shaking her head back and forth. He wanted to back her into the nearest pillar and rip every scrap of clothing from her body. Seriously, he had to clench his fists to keep from kissing the lipstick off of her. He was certain he'd never wanted someone like this before.  _Ever_.

"No, it's not bad," she said, bringing him back to their conversation. "It's just..." She exhaled, blurting it out all at once. "You just do this thing where you tap your fingers together, almost as if you're counting them all to make sure they're still there."

The breath was knocked out of him, because even he himself hadn't realized he did that. Now here she was, the woman he was undeniably attracted to, pointing out things that she noticed about him.

"Felicity..." he started, and her eyes flashed at the way he said her name.

Her phone rang from its place in her purse, ruining the moment between them. She focused on the ringing, digging through her bag until she pulled it out. Swiping the screen, she brought the phone to her ear, speaking into it without checking who it was. Oliver watched her.

"Hello?" she said, her eyes brightening at whoever's voice sounded at the other end. "Hey! Oh, yeah. I'm still coming... I just got a little sidetracked... Yeah, I'll be right there... Okay, bye."

She hung up, slipping her phone back into her purse. Oliver eyed her, anger flaring through him. His first thought was that she was speaking to a man. A man who, as far as Oliver was concerned, didn't deserve to be having a second of Felicity's time. His suspicions only became more realistic as he took in the slight flush on her cheeks, and the way she was already inching away from him.

"Hey, I have to go," she said, taking wider steps now. "Lunch time is limited, you know?"

He nodded, not saying another word. He couldn't. He didn't trust himself to speak. The only words going through his mind right now were the least bit friendly, and they had no right to be directed towards Felicity, but at whoever was on the other end of that phone. He had no idea what the hell was happening to him. She wasn't his, and yet, he wanted to claim her.

Fuck, he wanted to bend her over his desk and make her say his name until it came out naturally for her. So far, she'd only said his first name once, and he wanted to hear her say it again. It sounded nice falling from her lips, more nice than its ever sounded from anyone else.

They'd only spoken for the first time a couple of days ago, yet he was aching for her. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and fighting off the urge to be near her was getting harder to do. And now, he had to deal with the thought of her fucking some other guy?

The limo pulled up along the side of the road, and Oliver stepped in, barricading himself from the driver as he let himself sulk in his sinful thoughts of all the ways he could make Felicity his own, even though getting her to talk to him was still a nearly impossible mission.

* * *

At about 12:30 the next day, Felicity grabbed her purse and left her office for lunch. Barry was eating something out of a plastic container, but he seemed pretty content with that. He sat up in his seat when he saw her leave, blushing at how comfortable he had seemed.

"I'll see you at 1:30, Barry," she told him, smiling so he would know she didn't mind his relaxed state. "Want me to bring you back something?"

"No, I'm fine, Ms. Smoak. Thank you."

She nodded, turning away from him to walk towards the elevators. She was so focused on getting out of there, she didn't notice the figure fast approaching. An arm reached out to grip her wrist, and she nearly jumped into the air.

"Whoa, it's just me, Felicity," Oliver said, making her roll her eyes as she placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

Of course it was him. She just couldn't get rid of him, it seemed. If it wasn't him passing by her in the hallways, then it was her running into him on her way out of the building. Yesterday, their conversation had almost been enjoyable, but then she'd remembered how difficult he was making her life, and her hatred for him had come back full force.

"What do you want?"

The amused smile returned, and he was obviously not fazed by her dislike towards him. "I came to see you."

"Well, I don't need you coming for me," she responded, letting out a deep breath as his lips twitched. "Okay, let's just get something straight here."

"Oh, come on. Now you're just doing it on purpose," he grinned.

"Actually, I'm not. I tend to say things that aren't meant to sound the way that they do. It's something I hate, but have come to terms with."

"Well I think it's endearing," he admitted, ignoring the glare she shot his way.

Yeah, she really didn't have time for this. "I'm going to lunch. You can come bother me in an hour," she dismissed, starting for the elevator again.

Luckily, someone had just gotten off of it. She stepped on before it could close, pushing a button that would bring her to the main floor. Oliver slipped inside before she could get away, and she was tempted to punch the wall out of pure frustration.

"What  _the hell_  do you think you're doing?" she questioned, facing him with fire in her eyes.

"This is my lunch hour, too. If you're grabbing something to eat, I thought I might as well tag along."

She shook her head, voicing her disagreement. "There is no way you are going to intrude on the only hour I get to myself."

"You'd really rather be alone than with me?" he asked, probably thinking the answer was very clear.

Her next words came out naturally for her, and she had no idea why. "Who said anything about me being alone?"

She could see the smile fall off his face and found that satisfying. If it were anyone else, she would have thought he was jealous at the idea of her meeting up with another man. But no, it was Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy who had a different girl on his arm every night of the week. She knew better.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he blatantly asked.

She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "That really is none of your business."

She got a sudden flash to the day before, and the way he'd looked at her when she'd received that phone call. It was only Sara's sister, Laurel, confirming their lunch plans. He'd distracted her - how that even happened was beyond her - and Laurel had gotten worried she'd forgotten. Now that Felicity was thinking about it, from Oliver's perspective, it really could have been anyone on the other end of that line.

Even her potentially fake boyfriend that she definitely did not have. Interesting.

The elevator doors opened, saving her from having to stand alone with him in a confined space for any longer. She walked fast despite the high heels, but he kept up with her easily. Damn him and his huge feet. She put as much distance between them as she could, but it was pointless. He seemed determined to make her life a living hell.

"So, are you driving, or am I?" he asked, following her down the pavement to where she had parked.

" _I'm_  driving  _myself_. What you do from here on out, I really couldn't care less about."

He chuckled, making her wonder what it would take to really piss him off. "I guess I'll go behind you."

She shot a glare his way, and he raised his hand in defense. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant I'll follow you in my car. Your dirty mouth is starting to rub off on me, Ms. Smoak."

Her jaw dropped at the ulterior meaning in that as well, and he threw his head back in a laugh. She didn't say another word to him as she reached her car. For some reason, she didn't jet off like she normally would have to avoid someone she hated. Instead, she found herself waiting for him to reach his car that was only a few spaces down. Then, she started her car, heading for the small deli she had discovered her first year at Queen Consolidated.

He stayed behind her car the whole time, and she actually caught herself glancing in her mirror to make sure he was still there a few times. She didn't know what was happening to her, but she was going to have a lot of thinking to do later. There was just no way she'd ever be looking forward to spending time with him. It just wasn't going to happen.

As soon as she pulled into the parking lot, his car was parking into the space next to hers. She didn't wait for him, and she didn't need to. He got out of his car, treading up to her as she almost reached the door, pulling it open for her like the perfect gentleman she knew he wasn't. The place was pretty packed, but she didn't expect anything less at this time of the day. The line wasn't that long, which meant less time she'd have to spend talking to him. She didn't know if she should be happy about that or not.

Thankfully, he didn't speak as they stood there. He read over the menu above the vegetables, eyebrows furrowed as he made his decision. She caught herself studying his face, recognizing the attractive features he possessed. She could hate him all she wanted, but she couldn't deny that he was extremely good looking. He glanced down at her - their height difference would be humorous if it wasn't so arousing - and she turned away quickly. The worker behind the counter signaled her to him, saving her from an expected awkward exchange with Oliver. He'd probably be really smug about it, she she'd had enough of that from him for the year.

"What can I get for you today?" the man asked.

She placed her usual order, watching as they prepared her sandwich right in front of her. When it was finished, it was set neatly in a little red basket, and handed to her with an empty cup and a few napkins. She went over to the beverage fountain, filling her cup up with sweet tea. Oliver was fast behind her, filling his up with Pepsi. She didn't wait for him as she found an empty table, setting her purse down in the chair next to her so that he wasn't tempted to take his seat there. He slid into the seat across from her instead, not showing any sign that he noticed.

"This looks great," he said, eyeing the food.

"It is," she confirmed, giving him a weird look. "You've never been here before?"

He shook his head. "Do you come here a lot?"

"I guess," she shrugged.

He didn't say anything else as he leaned forward to take his first bite of his sandwich. She did the same, closing her eyes as the familiar tastes filled her mouth. After a few minutes of uninterrupted eating, he spoke up.

"So, I don't see a guy," he observed, drawing her back to their conversation on the elevator. "Does that mean you don't have a boyfriend?"

"If I didn't answer you on the elevator, what makes you think I would now?"

He shrugged, something she noticed he did quite often. "I guess I'm just hoping if I ask enough, you'll give me an honest answer."

She sighed. "Fine. I'm currently not involved with anyone."

His face remained neutral as he took another bite of his sandwich, but she could tell he was fighting the urge to grin. Rolling her eyes, she fought back her own smile. Why should she be happy that he found joy in her loneliness?

Once he finished chewing, he wiped his hands on his napkin and took a drink of his soda. She watched him the entire time, not sure why he was so hypnotizing for her today. It just didn't make any sense.

"Well, just so you know, I'm single, too," he informed her, using that infamous smirk that drove her wild.

Okay, yeah right.

She cocked her head to the side. "Having a different girl in your bed every night doesn't make you single."

He cleared his throat, looking down at the table. "That's not who I am anymore."

She scoffed. "Right. Just because your father dies, everyone is supposed to believe that you got your act together? Sorry if I'm not that dense."

When he looked up at her again, she was taken aback. He seemed genuinely hurt. His eyes were confused, almost as if he couldn't believe the words had come from her. She couldn't believe it herself. Never, did she talk to anyone like that. It just wasn't who she was. She tried to take back what she said, but he was speaking before she could.

"The tabloids don't believe it. The investors don't believe it. Hell, my own mother doesn't believe it. Why would I expect you to?" he questioned, and that pain was replaced with frustration.

She knew that she'd crossed a line, because even he didn't deserve to be spoken to like that. "Oliver-"

"No, it's fine," he interrupted, but she knew it was the exact opposite of fine. "Seeing is believing, right? I guess I'll just have to prove it to everyone."

She couldn't explain the guilt that ran through her at the moment. She had never felt more like a bitch. The worst part was, she didn't even know why. Everyone in Starling City knew about Oliver's colorful past. It wasn't her fault that him suddenly changing was a little hard to fathom.

"Have you told your department about the cuts yet?" he asked, changing the subject.

And just like that, she was reminded of why she hated him. Just as she had thought, he was expecting her to break the news to them. With a new found rage, she decided to tell him of her plan to fix what he couldn't.

"Actually, I'm thinking I won't have to." His eyebrows knitted together in question as she continued. "I set up a meeting with a possible investor tomorrow. If things go as well as I plan, the IT Department won't have to suffer any cuts in our funding. And you can go on with your plan to piss me off without actually pissing me off anymore."

He seemed angered by that. "Felicity, you can't just go behind my back to do something like that."

"Like hell I can't!" she exclaimed, just as angry as him at this point. "There's nothing that says I can't seek investors for the company. I'm doing  _you_  a favor here."

"You should have talked to me about it!"

"So what, you could shoot me down? Yeah, I don't think so. With what I've done, my department has an actual chance of keeping all of our projects funded."

He sighed, seeming to consider this. "Who's the meeting with?"

She evened her breathing, becoming civil as well. "Ray Palmer."

If she thought he was angry before, she didn't have a clue. At the mention of that name, his whole face hardened. She could see his fists clench from their place on the table, his jaw locking as well. She'd actually be intimidated if she wasn't still so pissed off herself.

"There's no way in hell I'm letting you do this."

"Excuse me?!" she all but screamed, making him flinch. "For your information, Oliver, this isn't up to you!"

"He's our rival, Felicity. Accepting money from him would ruin my image. How bad would it look if I have to take help from  _him_?"

"I'm sorry, Oliver, but I don't have a choice. You're cutting off our funding and he's potentially offering to keep it going. Whatever little feud you have going on with him, keep me out of it."

He stared at her, startling her when he stood from his seat. "Enjoy the rest of your lunch, Ms. Smoak."

And then he was gone.

* * *

He should have known better. She had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Her harsh comments had done nothing to bruise his ego, though she hadn't shown signs of letting up any time soon. Still, he pursued her, ignoring the voice in his head that was telling him to just stay away.

Damn it, he really should have listened to that voice. Now, he was sitting at his desk, pissed at her for going behind his back with an investor - his rival nonetheless - and more pissed at himself for not trusting his own instincts.

He wasn't sure what it was about her that kept drawing him in. Sure, she was attractive. Her ponytail and glasses were the perfect mixture of smart and sexy. She had legs that went on for days and made him imagine what they would feel like wrapped around his waist. Her skirts seemed to be there only to make his blood race, and her frame was lean, yet petite.

She was damn near perfect.

But that wasn't all there was to it. She was also smart, confident, and incredibly witty when it came to him. No matter what angle he approached her from, she always seemed to have a response back. Talking to her was something he found he enjoyed doing when it didn't involve her pissing him off. Maybe that was why he kept coming back.

A few days before, he was angry with her outspokenness at his meeting. Then, when he was walking out of the building and saw her lights still on, he was curious. No one he knew ever worked so late when they didn't have to. Without much input, his feet lead him to her office. Their conversation struck something inside of him, making him realize that his anger had become more of a fascination.

He got home that same night, finding it impossible to get her off his mind. To say that he was intrigued would be an understatement. Earlier today, he was struggling to fight off the urge to go to her office. His plan was to catch her on her way to lunch, hoping she would let him tag along. Though she objected at first, he knew he had won her over.

He knew she hated him, but their lunch really showed how much. The fact that she would seek help from Ray Palmer made his stomach sick. He knew Ray. He knew how Ray felt about smart girls, and he knew how smart girls felt about him. Just the thought of Ray flirting with Felicity had his fists clenching. Jealousy was not an emotion he was used to, but the fact that it was aimed towards her wasn't surprising.

Too bad he no longer cared.

Well, of course he did. He just knew that he shouldn't. She hated him, and it was probably for the best. Despite his greatest efforts, he was most likely going to fail and soil his family's name. If she hated him, he had one less person to disappoint.

Just then, his cell phone rang, bringing him out of his negative thoughts concerning the future of his company and his future with Felicity. He swiped the screen after discovering it was his mom calling, resisting the urge to chuck his phone at the wall. Though he wasn't in the mood to talk to her - or anyone, for that matter - he knew she would just keep bugging until he answered.

"Mom, hi," he said, plastering on a smile he knew she couldn't see.

"Oliver, is something wrong?"

Was his frustration that severe that it was audible through the phone? Oliver shook his head, attempting to convince his mom that nothing was wrong at all. The last thing he wanted was to be answering questions from her about the woman who was haunting his every thought.

"No, nothing's wrong," he assured. "I'm just swamped with work."

She hummed in understanding, clearly buying his crap. "Yes, Walter told me you were juggling a lot at once right now. Hopefully that'll end soon. I don't like you being so stressed."

Oliver resisted the urge to snort, because it had been his mom who'd braced this job upon him. He actually wasn't as upset about it as he was in the beginning. This job really helped him get his act together. He changed the way he was living his life after taking it, and he wondered from time to time about what he'd be doing had his father never passed, and he'd never been forced to step up.

His mom was a huge help to him along the way, and still was. Though she held no position at the company, she took role in all the huge decisions and kept up with the progression of it. Everything major was fed to her by either him or Walter, and Oliver strove to impress her every chance he got. That's why the funding cuts was something he didn't want her to know about yet, since he wanted her to be impressed by the results it would hopefully bring forth.

"I don't have much time to talk," Oliver lied, just wanting time to himself right now.

"Oh," his mother said, sounding apologetic. "I only wanted to confirm that the charity gala is still on. Top floor of Queen Consolidated, am I right?"

Oliver sighed. "Yes, Mom. Everything is still set."

"Well, I'm just making sure, Oliver. A lot can go wrong before three weeks reaches us."

Oliver knew she was right, but if anything had gone wrong, she would have been the first to hear about it. The charity ball was being held at his company this year, meaning that all of his employees were welcome to attend. Usually, it was one of the rare nights Starling City's elite came out to show that they had some humanity left in them.

Oliver hated it every year. He was always left with too many people to handle on his own, and he wasn't ever allowed to leave until most of the guests had gone on their own. Oliver couldn't help but wonder if Felicity would be attending. It was still three weeks away, but just the thought of her being there made it that much more tolerable. Maybe he could get her to not hate him by then.

"Sweetie, are you still there?" his mother asked, snapping him out of his daze.

"Yeah, I'm still here," he answered, closing his eyes. "Mom, I have a lot of work I need to get through. Can I call you back later?"

"Of course, Oliver," she said, with slight hesitation. "But if something was wrong, you'd tell me, right?"

"Sure," he agreed, not knowing how else to respond to something like that.

Would he ever be comfortable going to his mom with girl problems? Probably not. But she didn't have to know that. Her feelings would just be hurt by it, and upsetting his mom was actually the last thing he wanted to do. The first was Felicity, yet another thing he'd have to keep to himself.

"Okay, then. I love you."

"I love you, too," he responded, giving her a quick goodbye before hanging up.

Oliver exhaled hopelessly. Now he could get back to pining over the only girl he'd ever wanted to this extent, and planning their next encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm loving the response to this story! Here is another chapter. My goal is to have this story all caught up with the one on Fanfiction.net by Sunday.

Felicity made sure she was at work extra early the next day. Her meeting with Ray Palmer was important to her, since it could mean the saving of her department's funding. She had a lot riding on this, and she was determined not to let anything ruin it. As she entered her office, she was met with a very startled Barry. He had been hunched over her desk, now standing straight, flushed red with embarrassment.

"What are you doing?" Felicity asked, taking slow steps into the room.

"I know what this looks like, Ms. Smoak, but I can assure you nothing bad was happening in here. I would never just go into your office without reason. Not that I go into your office frequently, because I don't. I mean, unless you're calling me-"

"Barry, just answer the question," she instructed, not in the mood for one of his babbles.

He swallowed, glancing at the floor quickly. "Uh, Ray Palmer called and told me to leave you this message. I didn't expect you for another half hour, so I wanted to leave it on your desk in case I forgot."

His arm extended forward as he handed her the yellow sticky note. She took it from him, stomach sinking with thoughts of all the horrible things it could say. She could be losing a lot here, and she suddenly wished she hadn't gotten her hopes up so high. Swallowing, she looked down and read it.

_Call me._

Her brows furrowed as she reread the same two words over and over again. "Barry, why did you have to write this down? It's by far a very complicated message to pass on."

"Mr. Palmer asked me to write it down. I don't know why. I told him I'd remember just fine."

She didn't say another word, instead taking her seat behind her desk. Barry sensed his misplacement, and backed out of her office, shutting the door behind him. Felicity picked up the phone, dialing the number she had just the day before. From the sound of it, the same person answered the phone.

"Palmer Technologies, how may I help you?"

"This is Felicity Smoa-"

"Right, Ms. Smoak. Mr. Palmer was expecting your call. I'll just transfer you straight through."

"Okay, thanks."

Felicity's nails tapped lightly on her desk as she waited. Soon enough, there was the now familiar sound of Ray Palmer's voice on the other end.

"Ms. Smoak, I'm happy to see you got my message."

"Well, it did take some thinking over, considering how complicated the message was. I understand why you needed my assistant to write it down. An instruction like that is very tricky to decipher." She slapped a hand over her face, remembering that sarcasm probably wasn't the best route to go with the man who could be funding her department. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound so-"

"Don't apologize, Ms. Smoak," he interrupted, sounding amused. "I thought it was funny."

"You... did?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, letting out a small chuckle. "I had my assistant go over your files after our phone call yesterday, Ms. Smoak."

Felicity blanched. Were her personal files that accessible? Well, to a billionaire, there probably wasn't much that wasn't accessible.

"And?" she prompted, worried that whatever he found might be his reasoning behind wanting her to call him.

"And I have to say that I'm insanely impressed," he confessed. "And I'm not impressed often."

She flushed, scratching the top of her head. "Thank you, Mr. Palmer."

"You're welcome. Now, I understand that we had a meeting scheduled for today, but I'd rather we discuss things over dinner. I can pick you up after work on Tuesday and we can talk things over."

She nodded, realizing that he couldn't see her. "Uh, yes. That sounds great, Mr. Palmer."

"Good. I'll make the reservations right now."

He hung up, making her wonder what it was with him and not saying goodbye. The confusion was short-lived as she tried to hold in her glee. At the way things were looking, she was going to be getting that money soon. There wasn't a thing that could ruin her day.

* * *

So she'd spoken too soon. Right after returning from her lunch break with another coworker, Caitlin, she entered to find Oliver Queen in her chair, flipping through her notepads. Barry stood next to him, jumping at the sight of her.

"Ms. Smoak-"

"Barry, this is the second time today I've caught you in my office without authorization."

"I just wanted to make sure Mr. Queen didn't do anything," Barry explained, face reddening. "He wouldn't listen to me when I told him to stay out."

Felicity drew her attention towards the smug bastard in her chair, who looked all too amused by the situation. "You can leave now, Barry. Thank you."

Barry just nodded, hurrying out and shutting the door behind him. Oliver got up once they were alone, heading towards her. She pushed past him carelessly, taking her place behind her desk. Letting out a sigh, he turned around to face her.

"Do you want to tell me what the hell you're doing in my office?" she prompted, not even trying to contain her anger.

"I came to apologize. Yesterday was not one of my proudest moments."

"Oh yeah? Which part? Was it the part where you verbally harassed me? Or was it when you yelled at me for trying to help your company? Or maybe, was it when you stormed off, leaving me to throw away all of your trash?"

He closed his eyes, extending his hands forward. "Okay, so maybe I got a little carried away. If you knew the past I share with Palmer, you'd understand."

She looked down, realizing that it was true. She knew nothing about why they hated each other. Even then, it didn't justify his behavior.

"And I did not verbally harass you," he added.

She scoffed. "You're kidding right?"

"If anything, Ms. Smoak, it was  _you_  who was verbally harassing  _me_."

"That's-" She stopped short, feeling flustered. "Okay, Oliver. You've apologized. You can leave now."

He smiled, sitting down in one of her chairs. "I was thinking I could stay and hang out here for awhile."

"Like hell you are."

He looked her dead in the eye, that smirk right where it always was. "Fine. I'll just come back at 1:30."

And just like that his intentions became clear. How he found out about her meeting, she had no clue. Well, he did own the building, so getting access to her schedule probably wasn't hard. Still, it infuriated her beyond belief. Was her personal life no longer private?

"If you're trying to intrude on my meeting with Mr. Palmer, I'm sorry to inform you that the meeting has been cancelled."

He sat up, exhaling in a way that said he was disappointed, when she knew he was far from it. "I'm sorry, Felicity. Look, we can figure something else ou-"

"No," she cut off, wanting to cherish the look on his face when she spoke her next words. "I wasn't saying Ray Palmer backed out on our meeting. He only postponed it a little."

He grit his teeth. "Okay, when is it then?"

"Tuesday evening, over dinner," she answered, watching as his eyes darkened. "Ray told me that he looked over my files and he would like to do the meeting then. Apparently, we have a lot to discuss."

Oliver was on his feet within a second, actually startling her a little. "Felicity, he's going to try something. He has a sort of interest in intelligent women. Trust me, I know him. I know his type."

"It's a business dinner, Oliver," she incredulously pointed out, rising to her feet, her fingertips grazing her desk as she internally scoffed at his irrationality. "And it's really none of your concern who does or doesn't take an interest in me."

He paced the room, looking over at her before completely invading her personal space. "The dinner, it's not happening. Have him schedule another appointment here."

She swallowed, hiding how fazed having him this close was making her. She could actually smell the cologne he wore, mixed right in with some musky scent that made her knees wobble. Their eyes were locked tightly, so near that she could see the specks of light blue that glinted out at her. She'd probably be climbing him like a tree right now if she wasn't so unbelievably pissed at how pigheaded he was being.

Who the hell did he think he was making demands like that to her?

"Okay, I know you're used to people doing whatever you want, but let's get something straight," she started, beyond furious. "You do not control me. We're not friends, we're barely even acquaintances. And in case I haven't made myself clear enough the past couple days, I do not like you."

He looked beaten for a second, as if her words had dented him. Then, he was storming off, just as he had the day before. She snickered, taking her seat and groaning into her hands in frustration. If there was one thing that man was good at, it was pissing her off.

* * *

Oliver reached his office, rubbing his temples from his frustration. How many times was he going to have to fight with that woman before he learned his lesson? What made things worse, was that he still found himself craving her presence underneath all that anger. He needed to figure out what it was about her that made it impossible to stay away.

If he was going to do that, he needed help. He needed someone who had a gift for reading people. He needed someone who wouldn't judge him, and who'd actually give him helpful advice. And he knew just who to ask.

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts. After a precise tap to the screen, he was bringing his phone to his ear and awaiting the voice on the other end. After only two rings, the line picked up.

"Ollie?"

"Thea, hey."

His anger vanished instantly at the sound of his little sister's voice. She always seemed to have that calming effect on him.

"What's going on, big brother?"

He chuckled, putting a hand in his pocket. "I'm just calling to check up on you."

"Yeah, right. I know you, Ollie," she replied, and he scolded himself for not assuming she'd see through that lame lie. "You have something to talk to me about, don't you?"

He sighed. Of course she knew there was more to it than that. She always did.

"You caught me."

"I knew it."

He could practically see the smug grin on her face and laughed it off. "Are you free to grab lunch next week? I'd suggest tomorrow, but I have a call scheduled through my lunch hour, and I know how busy you get on the weekends with the club and everything."

"That's fine," she agreed. "How about Thursday? I can pick something up on my way there and we can just eat in your office. You definitely have the room for it."

"Sounds good, Speedy."

"Okay, see you next week. Love you, Ollie," she said, hanging up.

He ended the call, proud of himself for thinking to call her. Now, all he could do was hope she could provide an explanation for his feelings towards Felicity. Maybe, she'd even be able to help him get her to like him. Until then though, he would have to ward off the urge to go back down to the IT Department to talk to her.

Again.

* * *

Felicity walked into the bar, her self-confidence soaring through the roof. She was meeting Sara for drinks at some bar downtown, and it was the only thing she'd been looking forward to all day. When she got home from work - actually leaving the office early for once - she decided she was going to look her best tonight. Dressing up made her feel good, and she'd take all the goodness she could get after surviving her week from hell.

Sara was already sitting down at the bar, sipping on a martini. Felicity approached her, catching her eye before moving in for a brief hug. Sara was beaming, and Felicity could not think of a time when her best friend didn't look happy. Felicity took the seat next to her, signaling to the bartender who was just a couple feet down.

"Wow, you look great," Sara complimented, looking her over. "You planning on meeting anyone tonight?"

Felicity rolled her eyes humorously. "Oh, please. Meeting some guy is the farthest thing from my mind right now, and you know it."

Sara laughed. "I don't know, Felicity. It has been awhile since you've gotten laid. Maybe you should rearrange your priorities some."

Felicity chuckled, trying to ignore the fact that the only person who flashed through her mind was Oliver. Oliver  _fucking_  Queen and his million dollar smirk. God, why was that jackass still on her mind? She needed a drink, like,  _right now_.

"Who is he?" Sara knowingly asked, sipping from her straw distractedly.

Felicity felt her heart stop, wondering if she really were that transparent. "Who is who?"

Sara gave her that look that said she wasn't going to talk her way out of this one. "Who's the guy that popped into your mind as soon as I mentioned you having sex with someone?"

"He's... No one," Felicity denied, having a hard time even believing that herself. Even if he annoyed the hell out of her, Oliver Queen was definitely  _someone_. "I was just thinking about work is all."

"Barry?" Sara questioned, jaw dropped.

Felicity knit her brows together, trying not to burst out laughing at the idea. Barry was like a little brother to her, if that. Things between them were as good as they'd ever get, and they were both fine with that. Felicity knew Sara only suggested him because he was the only one she knew from Felicity's job.

Well, him and Oliver.

"Okay, if not him, then who?" she pressed, but Felicity didn't budge. "Felicity, you know I'd tell you if I was thinking of having crazy, hot sex with someone at work."

"Sara, really, it's no one. Your sister's jackass of an ex-boyfriend just made my week a living nightmare, and I'm still really stressed about it," Felicity explained, trying to look as earnest as possible.

"Are you talking about Oliver? You like him?" Sara questioned, and Felicity knew she was already jumping to about a billion conclusions, each one more absurd than the last. "Oh my God, you want to fuck Oliver Queen."

"Sara!" Felicity scolded, glancing around to see if anyone had overheard her friend's outburst. "I don't want to fuck anybody, okay?"

"Since when did you start talking to him? I thought you guys had never even interacted before."

Felicity sighed, knowing Sara wasn't going to let this go easily. "We talked for the first time on Monday. It was at a meeting, and he brought up his plan to cut the funding for the IT Department. I went off on him, and now he hasn't left me alone. Seriously, Sara, I can't get rid of him."

"Oh, so he wants to fuck you, too," Sara concluded, eyes squinted in that way that told Felicity she was getting an idea. "This just got a million times more interesting."

Felicity shook her head. "I could not care less what the hell he wants to do to me. I already pissed him off, so maybe he'll leave me alone. One can only hope a man like that will take a hint."

"How did you piss him off?"

Felicity shrugged, not too fond of how she acted. "He intruded on my lunch, and we got into an argument about my decision to have Ray Palmer invest in my department so that we wouldn't have to end any of our projects. It's just a business dinner, but he's blowing it way out of proportion."

"Ray Palmer?" Sara repeated, touching Felicity's wrist and snorting. "Felicity, Oliver  _hates_  that guy."

Felicity nodded. "Yeah, he told me. I just don't know why."

"You should ask him."

"Um, no," Felicity said, not wanting to speak another word to him. "I don't really care about what's going on between them. If Ray can help save my projects, then it doesn't matter why him and Oliver hate each other. I'll see Ray for dinner on Tuesday to discuss work, and then that'll be the end of it. Maybe Oliver will stop bothering me about it afterwards."

"I think you like him," Sara stated, bouncing giddily in her seat. "God, you guys would look so hot together."

Felicity dipped her head in agreement, because there really wasn't any denying that he was an attractive man. And she knew she was beautiful herself, so Sara did have a point. But Felicity refused to play with the idea of her and Oliver as a thing. That was never happening.

 _Never_.

* * *

Saturday couldn't have come fast enough. Felicity loved the days she got to just relax, and it seemed to have taken extra longer to reach the weekend this week. She knew that all had to do with Oliver Queen, but damn her if she was going to spend her weekend thinking of him.

Last night, she'd gotten drunk with her best friend and had a blast doing it. Sara had left the topic of her and Oliver alone for the night, but Felicity had a feeling it would be coming up again. That didn't matter. Sara could root and fantasize about them all she wanted, but Felicity stood firm on her whole hating-his-guts thing.

Felicity got out of her car, glancing around the partially packed parking lot. She was at a small diner in the Glades, one she went to whenever the city became too much and she needed a little break from it all. She was meeting a friend there to discuss the plans for Sara's surprise party next weekend, and she'd been craving a burger for weeks now.

She entered the diner, removing her sunglasses - since she'd decided to wear her contacts today - and tucking them into her purse. Looking around the place, she spotted who she was looking for, making her way over. When he saw her, he grinned, pulling her in for a hug.

"Felicity Smoak," he greeted, saying her name in that way that made her feel like royalty.

"Tommy Merlyn," she returned, using the same tone with his name. "It's good to see you."

They sat down, and he smiled at her. "You look great," he stated, making her roll her eyes. "Honest, Felicity. You know I'm not one to lie."

"Oh, do I now?" she taunted, eyes shining.

Tommy Merlyn wasn't someone she'd known her whole life. In fact, they'd only met a couple years ago. Sara had been the one to introduce them, since he was in a relationship with her sister. And even though Felicity and Laurel got along really well, she'd developed a special kind of connection to Tommy. He was like a brother to her, and though their conversations may seem flirtatious from time to time, it really was innocent. Felicity respected Laurel and had zero interest in Tommy in that way.

Now, Felicity didn't live under a rock. She knew who Tommy's best friend was. She had no idea how, but she'd had yet to run into Oliver while him and Tommy were together. She called it luck, but she knew a lot of it had to do with how busy Oliver became once he took over at Queen Consolidated. And the only reason she knew that, was because Tommy had spoken of it many times before. She was sure Tommy had no clue that she'd even said a word to Oliver - not to mention how he seemed to be harassing her - and she hoped it stayed that way.

"So, how's my favorite nerd been?" he asked, his eyes kind. "Work treating you alright?"

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "It's been a tough week, but I made it through. I really don't want to talk about work right now though."

"Fair enough," he conceded. "How are things coming along for Sara's surprise party?"

"Well, so far it all looks good. I saw Sara yesterday, and she had no clue. Practically everyone we invited RSVP'd, including Nyssa, but that was kind of a given. Thea's still reserving the club, right?"

Tommy nodded in confirmation. Felicity sighed in relief. She'd never met Oliver's younger sister in person, but she knew Tommy adored her and Sara got along really well with her. Felicity found the idea of her hanging out with Oliver's sister strange. Especially since when she thought of Oliver, it either involved shredding his clothes off or jabbing him in his dumb, attractive face.

"Sara is going to lose it when she finds out," Tommy said, and Felicity pictured her friend's reaction in her head.

"Well, if anyone deserves an awesome birthday party, it's Sara."

Tommy dipped his head in agreement, taking a drink from his cup of water. "So, enough about the party. Tell me what's been going on in the love department. Any asses I need to kick?"

She laughed, and once again, Oliver flashed across her mind. Really, she needed help. "If only you knew," she murmured, knowing he'd flip if he knew even a fraction of what'd been going on between her and Oliver this past week.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he questioned, his tone curious, yet defensive at the same time.

She shook her head, regretting her words. "Nothing. I meant nothing by that. My love life is just as dead as it was a month ago. Sara's actually pressing me to have a random hookup."

"Don't listen to her," Tommy said, frowning. "You're better than that, Felicity."

She nodded, staring at the table. "Yeah, I know."

Not only did she know she was better than that, but she also didn't want to hook up with some stranger. She had absolutely no idea why her mind would only conjure up Oliver Queen when thinking of her romantic life. It was really starting to get annoying. Having a romantic attachment to him was the last thing she wanted. Her brain just needed to shut the hell up.

* * *

Felicity was having another bad morning today, since her regular coffee shop had been closed for the day, and she'd had to get her coffee from a much crappier place. Seriously, the coffee tasted like dirt and water. She'd tossed the cup in the first trashcan she saw after deciding it wasn't worth trying to gulp down.

Now, she was making her way to her office, wanting to speak to no one at all. Even Barry, her too kind for his own good assistant, wasn't someone she wanted to interact with. At least, not until she'd had her coffee, which was going to have to wait until her lunch hour now. Thankfully, he was on the phone when she approached her office, meaning he wouldn't be looking to talk.

Placing her hand on her doorknob, she was about to turn it when Barry suddenly stopped her. He set the phone down, his eyes slightly wild. She gazed down at him, confusion filling her with each passing second.

"Ms. Smoak, I know you don't want me going into your office anymore, so this time, I didn't follow him in there," he started, looking genuinely worried.

Felicity closed her eyes, already knowing the answer to her question, but needing to ask it anyways. "Who didn't you follow into my office, Barry?"

He swallowed. "Mr. Queen."

She was turning the knob as soon as his name was out, murder in her eyes. Yeah, he picked the worst morning to decide to stop by her office for more of his shenanigans. And just as she'd expected, there he was, leaning against her desk as if it were his own office. Her eyes narrowed in on him, and she shut her door closed with barely contained anger.

"Felicity-" he began, and for some reason,  _he_  looked pissed off.

She groaned, covering her face with her hands and stopping him short. "Why won't you leave me alone?" she asked from behind her hands, suddenly not finding any energy left in her to fight with him anymore, since it was clear that's what he was here to do.

When she removed her hands from her face, she found him staring at her, looking concerned. Gone, was that anger she'd seen just a minute before, now replaced with a softness she wasn't used to seeing from him. He looked like he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go.

"I don't know," he whispered, and she realized he was answering her question.

She didn't say anything else, but made her way past him and around to her desk. She paused when she spotted the large vase of roses on her desk, that Oliver had been blocking with his back when she'd been by her door. She approached them slowly, noticing the way Oliver's jaw was clenched.

"Uh, what the hell are those?" she asked, and he raised an eyebrow at her question.

Pushing away from the desk, he turned to look at her, anger evident in his eyes. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Confused, she set her purse down and looked at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He looked at her, face hardened, and picked up a card that'd been nestled in the bundle of flowers. Clearly, he'd already read what it had to say, and that invasion of her privacy was already boiling her blood. But he was obviously ticked off by whatever that note said, so she snatched it from his hands, deciding to yell at him after she'd read it. He took a step back as her eyes scanned over the paper, studying her face.

_Felicity,_

_I cannot wait until I get to see you tomorrow. I can already tell dinner is going to go amazingly. Hope you enjoy the flowers._

_-Ray_

She reread the note several times, her throat constricting with both shock and confusion. She was shocked because a billionaire was sending her roses, and confused because Oliver was way more fazed by this than he should have been. Sure, she was fraternizing with the enemy, but this went way past that.

Looking up from the note, she found him still staring at her, rage written across his face.

"Okay, before you start, I would just like to say that you have no reason to be this pissed," she said, and he suddenly came to life, taking his first steps towards her, his eyes blazing.

"Oh, I have a reason," he argued, making her back into the wall with each step he took near her. "I have a pretty damn good reason, Felicity."

She swallowed, putting on her brave face. "Oh really? And what is that?"

He smirked, finally cornering her in with his huge frame, his hands cupping her face. "Because you," he started, emphasizing the words by pressing his thumbs into her cheeks softly, "are mine."

Her heart was bouncing around all over the damn place inside her chest, and she felt her mouth open and close several times before she actually managed to get something out. "You're insane," she whispered, and his smirk only solidified.

"You make me this way," he said, his breathing finally regulating. "You,  _only you_ , do this to me."

She swallowed, looking up at him. "I don't care what I do to you," she told him, finally finding her voice again, along with her pride. "I do not belong to you. If Ray Palmer wants to send me flowers, then it's none of your concern. If I decide to go have a random one-night stand with some guy from a bar, then it's none of your concern. What I do with myself and my body is none of your concern. You got that?"

He stared down at her, his smirk gone and replaced with pain. "Do you like Ray?"

She was surprised he wasn't angry by her words, and instead was standing there, just so vulnerable. Sighing, she lifted her shoulders, her voice soft when she spoke again. "I don't even know him. I have no idea why he's sending me flowers, but you have no right to be coming into my office without me in it, and going through my things."

He hung his head, pushing himself away from her and nodding. "You're right. I'm sorry." He gestured towards her door, making his way for it. "I have a lot of work to do, and a business call in ten minutes. Goodbye, Felicity."

She let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding, staring after his retreating figure. She forgot to ask him why he'd been in her office in the first place, and her curiosity was going to eat away her. Luckily, her question was quickly answered by Barry tapping on her door, entering with an unsure look on his face.

"Yes, Barry?" she prompted, feeling completely spent.

He approached her, setting something on her desk. She looked up from the ground, eyes locking in on the object. Barry stepped away, his voice containing something akin to amusement. It was as if he knew his next words were going to mess with her head for a good while after.

"Mr. Queen asked me to give this to you when you arrived, but I forgot," he said, closing the door behind him.

Felicity stayed quiet, staring at the thing he'd set down.

It was a cup of coffee, made just the way she liked it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oliver will be possessive in this story. It's stated in the summary. I even put it in the tags. If you don't like it, then you probably won't like this story very much. It won't be overdone, but it will occur. If you have no problem with it, then carry on :) Please review!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much support for this story! Thank you guys so much! Keep it up! :)

Tuesday came around again, and Felicity was in a great mood. Her meeting with Ray Palmer was mere hours away, and she'd made sure to dress up since he'd be picking her up straight from the office. Barry had complimented her on her dress, which she'd spent the entirety of Sunday picking out. It wasn't everyday a multi-billionaire asked you out to dinner to discuss business and whatnot.

Felicity, for the life of her, had no idea why, but a small part of her was hoping Oliver would stop by her office at some point. She hadn't seen him since the flower incident, which she was definitely going to speak with Ray about. She was pretty hard on him, but that had never stopped him from returning before. She chalked it up to him having a tight schedule, and that made sense since he was the CEO of the company she put her heart and soul into.

Felicity glanced at the time on her monitor, deciding now was a perfect time to take a quick break. If she didn't move her legs every once in awhile, she'd go insane. She stood up, fixing her dress as she headed for her door. Pulling it open, she saw Barry typing rapidly, clearly focused on whatever it was he was doing. She continued on without disturbing him, proud to have an assistant who worked so hard.

People smiled and greeted her as she made her way through the floor, and she really had to play it off like she knew where she was headed. Somehow, she found herself stepping onto the elevator, hitting the button for the first floor. Fresh air sounded great right now, and she definitely needed some time to herself to clear her head. There was just too much going on up there.

Leaving the building, she looked around, taking in the sight of the city. Time passed by quickly when she was away from her desk, and she checked her phone for the time. People were strolling in and out of the building, reminding her just how much work she had to be doing. Plus, her breaks weren't that long, and she didn't want anyone to think she was fleeing early. She had a reputation to keep, after all.

Entering the building again, her eyes locked in on Oliver Queen, his profile within her gaze as he spoke with an older man. He looked good. Damn it, he always looked good. But today, he looked _good_. She felt her skin heating, because he was the most attractive man she'd ever laid eyes upon, and she just wanted him to look over and see her.

And her wish came true.

His head swiveled towards her, almost as if he'd heard her thoughts, and his blue eyes locked with hers. She saw him stiffen, the man next to him clearly forgotten. Felicity watched him, drinking in his reaction. His eyes were darkening, focusing in on her in a way that spiked her temperature by a trillion degrees. Her lips parted as he seemed to start to head in her direction, her hatred for him long forgotten at this point.

Then, he turned back around, fists clenched as he made his way for the stairs. The guy he'd left behind looked confused, but didn't trail after him. Felicity stood rigid, watching as he left without even so much as a glance back. He'd actually taken the stairs to get away from her.

This was what she deserved, she told herself. She had no business wondering what he'd think of her in her brand new dress. He probably didn't even notice. Maybe she'd pissed him off more than she'd thought. Well, whatever the reason was behind his coldness towards her, she was thankful for it.

Now, she wouldn't have to deal with any of his random drop-ins. She could stroll around her office freely, comforted by the knowledge that things would finally be returning to normal. Oliver Queen belonged in his throne on the first floor, and not slumming it on the IT floor with her. She nodded to herself with finality, accepting the truth.

Oliver Queen was a jackass, and now he was out of her life.

She had no idea why she was sad.

* * *

Oliver was having a shitty day so far. He'd been hopping in and out of phone conferences, without even an opportunity to eat. He was starving, and just when he was ready to go pick something up, Martin Grant was knocking on his door, informing him that there was an incident at the other branch, and he was needed right away. Oliver didn't even have time to sulk; he'd just accepted it, grabbing his things, and heading out of the building with Martin at his side.

He'd made it into the main entrance area, being stopped by Martin, who decided then was a good time to fill him in on the situation. Oliver listened tentatively, growing more frustrated by the second. He was on the verge of exploding, and Martin was making it worse with each word. Apparently, the other branch was demanding he explain his funding plan to them in person, and not just the manager.

They were refusing to work until he did as they asked, and each second they didn't work, was a thousand dollars his company wasn't making.

Oliver really needed something good right now. He needed something that would keep him from breaking down, because at this point he was about damn ready to snap. He needed  _her_.

And as if she'd answered his prayers, she appeared, standing only across the room from him. His heart stopped, and whatever the hell Martin was going on about was quickly drowned out by her beauty. His brain was malfunctioning, he knew it. But she looked perfect, and he noticed right away that her dress was new.

He wanted to take it off of her.

She stiffened like she'd heard him, and he figured she must have caught how his body was responding to her. His brain -  _his goddamn fucking brain_  - just had to remind him that the way she was dressed? It wasn't for him. No, she'd bought that for Palmer, and it would be Palmer taking it off of her long before she'd let him do it.

He felt sick. The thought of her and another man made him want to hurl. He couldn't look at her for another second, and he sure as hell couldn't go speak to a bunch of angry employees who were out for his blood. He needed to get the fuck out of there before he lost his mind.

Turning away from her, he bit out an apology to Martin, making his way for the stairs. The exercise would surely calm him down some, and it would provide him the space to think. To think about Felicity, and imagine a world where it was him she was dressing up for. A world where she didn't hate his guts, and he could do all the things that raced through his mind when he thought of her.

A world where she wanted him back.

* * *

Ray Palmer pulled up to the curb of Queen Consolidated, his car halting with such smoothness, Felicity was impressed. She wasn't used to fancy cars, though she had been in a limo once for her cousin's Sweet Sixteen. But that was beside the point when a billionaire was stepping out of that sleek car, dressed to the occasion. His smile was inviting, and she found herself reflecting it.

"Felicity Smoak?" he asked, though it was clear he knew it was her.

She nodded, extending her hand for him to shake. "Mr. Palmer, it is so great to meet you. I just want to thank you for even taking the time to hear me out. I-"

"It's no trouble," he interrupted, flashing that grin again. "As I said over the phone, I went over your files and was highly impressed. Talent like that doesn't just appear often. You're clearly special, and you deserved a proper meeting."

She flushed, taken aback by his words. "Wow, I don't know what to say."

"That's fine," he replied, opening the passenger door and motioning for her to get inside. "We have more than enough to time to say whatever we need to. We can just figure it out as the night progresses."

She stepped into his car, trying hard not to focus on the ulterior meaning behind his words. Really, it didn't matter who he was. She would not be going home with him. Not to say that that was what he was implying, but he definitely had more than just work on his mind. He got into the seat next to her, turning on the radio, and she was thankful that she'd be avoiding a silent drive.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they still hadn't exchanged anymore words. He didn't seem to notice, but she was paying attention to everything. Her brain over-analyzed every little detail, storing it away for her to continue to pick at later. Reminding herself to stay focused, she watched as Ray opened her door for her, paying the valet, and then entering the restaurant.

They knew exactly who he was, and already had his usual table waiting. When they were seated, Ray looked at her, his eyes making her uneasy. And in that moment, she thought of Oliver. She thought of how warm and welcoming his eyes were. How soft and kind they could stare back at her, right before igniting with a fire that made her heart pound... and clearly, she was going insane. Great.

"You look amazing, by the way," Ray said, and that was another flag signaling to her that there was definitely more than just business behind this dinner.

"Thank you," she murmured, brushing her hair from her face. "I didn't know what kind of restaurant to expect, so I dressed for the best."

He smiled. "When I saw your picture on the file, I was a little surprised. People don't normally get blessed with brains and beauty."

She flushed again, really hoping he didn't notice how often she was doing it. "Those pictures on my file are terrible. I would've burn them all if I'd known you'd be seeing them."

He furrowed his brows. "Why me particularly?"

Her lips parted, and she sensed one of her rambles approaching. "Well, I just- I mean, you're obviously very attractive. Really, I think you could have any girl you wanted with a snap of your fingers. And that wasn't me coming onto you, that was me just stating a fact. And the fact that you are so attractive, means that you seeing pictures of me from before I learned to spend more than ten dollars on a haircut is not something that I'd ever want."

His eyes widened, and she cringed in fear that he was going to walk right out of there without ever looking back. But instead, he broke out into laughter, his smile making her reflect it.

"So, do you tell all your possible investors that you find them attractive?" he inquired, making her mouth drop in embarrassment.

"Oh my God, no," she assured. "I don't even have dinner with possible investors. Like,  _ever_. And I-"

"Felicity, relax," he told her, smiling softly. "I'm flattered, really. And just in case I haven't already made it clear, I find you very attractive as well."

Her skin was probably as red as it felt, and suddenly, she was bursting out a question that she had been dying to ask ever since last Friday morning. "Why did you send me those flowers?"

His brows knit together, pure confusion on his face. "Flowers? What flowers?"

Now she was confused. "Um, the roses that were left on my desk... You didn't send them?"

He shook his head. "No, but now I wish I did."

She ignored his response, sorting through her brain for whoever the hell could have sent those to her office. She considered Oliver briefly, but knew he wouldn't have been so defensive about it if it were him. Yet, he was the only one who knew about her meeting with Ray. Well, him and...

Sara.

Felicity was going to murder her when she saw her again. She didn't care if it was going to be at her surprise party. There was just no proper explanation for leaving roses on her desk, with a note pretending to be Ray Palmer. God, she was probably trying to stir something between her and Oliver. And it had worked, if his possessive words that still rung through her ears every living second were any indication.

"Felicity?" Ray said, and she was pulled from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, internally smacking herself. "Um, how about we get down to business?"

He shrugged his shoulders, grinning. "I guess it's better to get it all out of the way now. When it's done, that'll leave room for further discussion on non-work related topics."

She chuckled, hoping he couldn't see right through it. She really, truly must be insane or something, because this attraction for him ended with his good looks. She just didn't have that electricity with him, that  _spark_. Not like she did with-

Nope. She shut her brain off before she could even think it. She did not have a spark with that bastard. He was only under her skin. The sooner she realized that, the sooner she could figure out why Ray wasn't doing it for her. Then, maybe, she could fix the problem between them.

* * *

After the success that the dinner was last night, Felicity was on cloud nine. The business talk took longer than she'd thought it would, but she didn't mind that one bit. It left less time for Ray to get personal with her, though that was the case for a few minutes towards the end. Yeah, her mind was made up, and there was no changing it.

She was not interested in Ray Palmer.

But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they had gotten along swimmingly, and now he was going to invest in her department. The agreement they'd come to was simple. He'd invest in the company, and when it started to make money again, he'd get a small percentage of that as well. It was as any normal investment worked, except for the fact that if Ray didn't make any money at all, he wouldn't even notice.

Yes, things had worked out perfectly. She could already feel her troubles blowing away into the forgotten air.

Felicity paraded into her office, head raised high and a cup of coffee in her hand. Barry greeted her on her way in, obviously noting the happy expression she wore. She took a seat at her desk, starting her computer up. As she waited for everything to load, she gazed out her window. The view wasn't anything to brag about, but today it looked as gorgeous as ever.

"It's nice out, isn't it?" a voice asked, drawing Felicity's attention.

"Oliver," she addressed, swiveling in her chair to face him. "Why am I not surprised?"

He smirked, stepping deeper into her office and shutting the door. "Maybe you wanted me to come."

She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it with a wave of her hand. "You know what? I'm not even going to respond to that. Not even you can put me in a bad mood right now."

"Really?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I'm guessing dinner went well?"

"Not that you care, but yes, it did," she informed him, unable to fight the smile on her face. "Ray is stopping by sometime today to finalize everything."

Oliver nodded, clearing his throat. "So... did he- uh, did he express an interest in you?"

She didn't know how to respond. She knew the answer was yes - Ray had hit on her all night - but the thought of telling Oliver that made her feel guilty. There was no explanation for that feeling, and all she knew was that it frustrated the hell out of her. Maybe that was partially why she told him the truth.

"There was some flirting," she informed him, watching as he took a step forward.

"Was it one-sided?"

Her head tilted to the side at his bluntness, rising to her feet. "That is none of your business, Oliver."

"I'm making it my business," he growled, closing the space between them in only a few steps.

"It's not as simple as that," she argued, swallowing to fight down the shiver that threatened to run along her spine at having him only a couple inches away.

"Mr. Palmer is not a man you should mess with," he warned, his voice steady.

"Oh, and you are?"

She was provoking him. He was so agitated, and it was written across his face. She could see the anger he was restraining in the way he clenched his jaw, his eyes fueling with fire. She knew she should probably stop, but for some reason, she kept going.

"He's going to use you."

"What he does with me is a decision I can make for myself."

Her hand reached up to push her glasses farther up her nose, but his hand intercepted her wrist. At some point his breathing had labored, and she couldn't deny that it was one of the sexiest things she had ever heard. His eyes were locked with hers, refusing to severe the connection between them.

"Don't say things like that," he murmured, his body nearly pressed against hers, and his voice teetering with the effort to keep himself composed.

Was it wrong that she wanted to yank on his tie and bring him closer?

Yes, it was. She wasn't supposed to be attracted to him. Her job was to piss him off.

"Why not? Does it make you mad to think of Ray touching me? Of him  _fucking_  me?" she questioned, watching as his jaw tightened in what looked like it would be painful, and as his breathing started to eradicate. She only continued, somehow becoming aroused by his insane jealousy. "Does it anger you to think of my legs wrapped around  _his_  waist? Or me calling out  _his_  name, begging  _him_  for more?"

His hand let go of her wrist, and she felt it next on her upper thigh, fingers barely brushing over her from behind. Her breathing hitched just as his other hand took position on her opposite thigh. He smirked, sliding them further up until they were cupping her ass through her skirt, right before setting her onto her own desk with such little effort, she couldn't help but clamp her thighs together in arousal.

Felicity clenched a fist while her other hand gripped the edge of her desk, that being the only way she was keeping herself from going full animal on him. His head dipped forward, his eyes watching her like a hunter stalking its prey. She let out an involuntary whimper when his lips skimmed her collar bone, feeling that damn smirk against her skin.

"It's my name you'll be calling out, Felicity," he promised, his voice a deep growl.

She shuddered, though his words brought some flare of anger to her. "You want this way more than I do."

He drew back from where his lips had been breezing over her neck, eyes glinting with the challenge. "I think that-"

He stopped himself short when she tucked her fingers under his waistline, tugging him to her and between her legs. His lips parted, and he glanced down at her hand. Slowly, she removed it, running it over the front of his slacks purposefully. God damn her, but she wanted to  _feel_  him. A choked sound left his throat, and suddenly she was holding all the power, with him completely at her mercy.

His eyes locked with hers, pleasantly sinful in a way that had her blood rushing. She moved her head closer to his, and his eyes fell to her parted lips. Oliver was practically panting, and she only continued to rub him off, feeling him come to life just underneath her palm. His head dipped in, lips hovering over hers until they were only a breath away.

"Say it," she demanded, her words barely audible and making her lips buzz.

He swallowed, looking down into her eyes. "Say what?"

Pressing into him with a harder force, she watched as he cursed her name out. "Say that you want this more than me." Another tug on his slacks brought him closer to her. " _Tell me_."

He looked at her, opening his mouth and shutting it again. She raised her eyebrows in expectancy, and he exhaled steadily. With his hands still cupping her ass, he licked his lips, and she knew he was about to say it. And when he did, she was done holding back. Fuck, she wanted him. She wanted him with every inch of her being, and desire like that was definitely new to her.

"Felicity, I-"

There was a brisk knock on her door which she already knew to be Barry's, and she removed her hand from Oliver's crotch. Panic flared behind his eyes - along with insane depths of lust - but she remained cool. Barry entered after a couple seconds like he always did, and though her back was to him, she could imagine the look of horror he'd be wearing.

"Oh my God. Uh, I am so sorry to interrupt, Ms. Smoak," he sputtered. "Um, Mr. Palmer- he... He's here for your meeting. D-do you want me to just tell him to come back la-"

"Nonsense," she cut him off, eyes still locked with Oliver's. "Mr. Queen was just leaving."

She pushed him off of her roughly, the spell being broken due to Barry's interruption. Oliver's eyes narrowed, and she smirked triumphantly at him. Barry nodded in the background, leaving the door open for Oliver. He let out one last huff of annoyance, turning on his heels and heading for the door. His erection was noticeable to her since she was searching for it, and it made a wave of power wash over her.

"Oh, and Oliver?" she called, making him freeze with his hand on the knob. "Please instruct Mr. Palmer to come right in. I'm ready for him."

The clenched jaw and darkened look he gave her damaged her strong demeanor, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she held her stance until he shut her door roughly and left her alone in the now quiet office. Her eyes shut as she took in deep breaths, finally letting herself react to how affected she was by what had just happened. Though it was unnecessary, she still smoothed out her skirt before sitting down.

Ray knocked quickly before opening the door, smiling once his eyes met hers.

"Hello, Felicity," he greeted, taking a seat at one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"Mr. Palmer, how are you today?"

"It's just Ray," he reminded her, still grinning. "And my morning had been great so far. I get to see you."

She flushed, feeling that tang of guilt still hidden beneath it. "Well, let's get down to business, shall we?"

"We shall," he agreed, following along in her enthusiastic tone.

She pulled out a stack of papers from one of the drawers in her desk, setting them in front of him. They were the standard forms for companies that invested a certain amount of money to Queen Consolidated. She had stopped by Walter's office to grab them just this morning, knowing everything that happened with this deal needed to take place between her and Ray only.

"I already highlighted the places that require your signature," she informed him, sliding over a pen.

He chuckled, clicking the top of it. "That was very kind of you."

She smiled, watching quietly as he signed away at the several documents. Her phone buzzed from its place by her monitor, and she picked it up to see who was messaging her. The number wasn't one of her contacts, so brows furrowed, she opened the message, reading it over with curiosity more than anything else.

_The answer is yes._

She reread it a couple of times, wondering who could have texted her that. She typed back, looking over her message as well.

_Who is this?_

The response was immediate, telling her that whoever the hell it was, they were on the edge of their seat for her reply. Glancing down at her phone, she felt her heart stop.

_The man who was just between your legs a few minutes ago._

She had no idea why, but the first thought to cross her mind was about how hot his text made her. Yes, he was between her legs, but it was brief, and nothing much had even happened. Yet, the way she read it sounded a whole lot different in her head. It made her skin flush with the idea of him between her legs in a much dirtier sense.

Specifically one involving less clothing.

Her second thought was pure anger. He had no right to be texting her private number, especially since he knew she was having an important meeting with Ray. And how the hell did he even get her number? She knew she hadn't given it to him, and the only people in this building that knew her number were Caitlin, Barry, and Walter.

It became clear to her then, how he'd managed to get his hands on her number. It was the same way Ray was able to gain access to her file. He was a billionaire who owned the company she worked for. It would literally take him two seconds to get her number off of her records.

Damn it, he was like a tick she couldn't get off. Not that she wanted to get him off. At least, not in the way it sounded. Although, the thought had crossed her mind more than once. Even then, that did nothing to vanquish her anger. Her phone buzzed again before she had the chance to start acting out her frustration.

_You wouldn't let him touch you like you let me, would you?_

She scoffed aloud, and Ray glanced up at her.

"Everything okay?"

She looked at him, probably the image of a deer caught in headlights. Nodding furiously, she tried to hide the heat on her skin. "Yeah, just texting my mom about her new boyfriend," she lied, and Ray accepted her answer, going back to signing.

She looked back to her phone once she knew he was distracted again, swallowing. How could she even respond to that? She considered his question logically, asking herself for an honest answer. She realized that he was right. If Ray tried what Oliver just had with her, she would have kneed him to the groin. Why was it that she'd wanted to yank Oliver's pants down when it'd been him against her?

She knew she could either admit the truth, or agitate him just as much as he was doing to her. Yeah, she knew what her choice would be. With numb fingers, she wrote back.

_Who's to say I already haven't?_

Once she hit send, she felt a thrill go up her spine. Why was the idea of Oliver jealous so hot to her? Sometimes she cursed her anatomy. Her phone buzzed again, and she was ready for it, her breathing speeding up with the anticipation.

_Tell me that's not true, Felicity._

She stared at the screen, confused. Why did he seem so hurt rather than jealous? He wanted to fuck her, and hated the idea of another man beating him to it. That was it, wasn't it? That's all there was to it? So, then why was he acting as though he really cared for her?

_I'm not yours, Oliver._

She replied without much thought, because this was an argument she repeatedly had with him. His response showed how little he cared for it, just as usual.

_You belong to me more than anyone else in this fucking place, and you know it._

Okay, maybe that was true. But only because no one else in this office got under her skin like he did. No one else made such an effort to interact with her like he did. It was easy for him to make a claim like that. The buzz filled the room again.

_Tell me that's not true, and I'll back off._

Fuck, now she was stumped. She'd wanted him to leave her alone since the moment he announced his plan for cutting her department's funding. But now? Now, she wasn't so sure. Every time they spoke, they argued. There was no good outcome when it came to them. He pissed her off like no other, yet the idea of them never speaking again made her heart clench.

_Why me?_

She was proud of her response. It was a genuine question that she craved an answer for. Why did he keep returning to her? Why was he so persistent to keep seeing her, even though it never ended well? Why  _her?_

_You're different._

"I think that's all of them," Ray said, startling Felicity from her phone.

She didn't know how she'd forgotten he was in her office, but she focused right back in. Smiling, she took the documents from him, flipping through them to make sure that he did get them all. The last thing she'd want would be to inconvenience him for one forgotten signature. After double-checking, she set the papers down, smiling at Ray.

"Yes, you got them all," she confirmed, and he rose from his chair.

"Great, I was running low on time," he informed her, and she stood as well.

"Okay, well it was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Palmer," she started, making her way for the door. "And once again, I appreciate your help so much."

He smiled down at her. "It was no trouble at all, Felicity. I'm glad things played out the way they did. It lead to me meeting you."

Her skin itched, and she realized she was uncomfortable. Before he could say anything else, she was opening the door, and he was stepping through. Barry glanced up at them, but quickly faced the other way, his ears giving his blush away. Felicity resisted the urge to snort.

"I'll be in touch, Ms. Smoak," Ray continued, his eyes bright. "This won't be the last time we speak. I can assure you that."

Felicity smiled politely, going into her office and closing the door behind her without another word to him. She was so done with men at the moment, and even the thought of one was making her blood boil. Her phone buzzed, and she let all of that frustration out in the only way she knew would work.

_Felicity?_

Her fingers typed out her response, ticked off and knowing she'd probably regret this later. Oh well.

_Don't text me anymore._

She never got a response back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews mean the world to me!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the incredible reviews! This is the last chapter before I am all caught up on both sites!

Oliver didn't care if it was the middle of the week. He needed to get drunk, and he needed to get drunk with his best friend. Tommy had been quick to agree to drinks at one of their favorite bars, probably sensing Oliver's desperateness to just take his mind off of whatever was causing his stress. So, straight after work, Oliver drove over to the small bar, already finding Tommy inside. He took a seat in the bar stool next to him, ordering a beer right off the bat.

"You look like crap," Tommy observed tauntingly, and Oliver only grunted in response. "Is work still being a bitch?"

Oliver shook his head, accepting his beer from the bartender. "No, work has actually been the least of my worries this week."

Tommy stared at him, waiting for further explanation. When Oliver didn't provide any, he continued to press him for information.

"So, then what's got you drinking on a Tuesday evening?"

Oliver took a huge gulp of his beer, wanting to get to the numb part already. "Tommy, when you first pursued Laurel, did she resist you?"

Tommy furrowed his brows, clearly caught off guard by the question. "Um, I guess so. Why?"

"What was it that made you keep trying? I mean, why didn't you just give up? There are tons of other women who you could have had," Oliver responded, ignoring Tommy's question. "Practically anyone else in the world."

Tommy let out a noise of realization, patting Oliver on the back. "So this is about a girl, huh?"

Oliver snorted. Tommy had no idea. "If only she were just some girl. She's gotten into my fucking  _head_ , Tommy. I can't stop thinking about her, and it's driving me insane."

Tommy considered his words. "Is this about sex? I know you don't exactly do serious relationships. You just really want to get her in your bed, and it's driving you mad that you can't, right? That's all this is?"

"No," Oliver denied, stopping Tommy before he could say more. "It's not just about sex. Maybe it was at first - if even at all - but things have changed. She's so different from anyone else I've ever met, and I'm completely  _drawn_  to her."

"And she...what? She hates you?"

Oliver nodded, polishing off his beer and signaling for another one. "She hates me so much, it's unbelievable. Just talking to me pisses her off."

"You have no idea why she hates you so much?"

"Well, yeah," Oliver answered, knowing it all started with his funding project. "But I was hoping she'd get over it by now."

Tommy chuckled. "Girls don't get over things, man," he told him, clapping him on the back. "I thought we learned that the hard way, remember?"

Oliver stayed quiet as he drank his next beer, not wanting to think about Felicity never forgiving him for the budget cuts. Maybe if he explained all of it to her, she'd get past it. He knew he couldn't because of Walter, but he'd break that promise if he thought it would fix things between them. At this point, he'd do anything.

"Look," Tommy started, grinning. "If you want to get drunk, then I am here for you. You know that."

Oliver smiled for the first time in a while, tapping his beer against Tommy's. "Thanks, Tommy."

"No problem, man," Tommy assured, taking a sip from his bottle. "No problem at all."

* * *

So, he hadn't gotten that drunk after all. He'd only drunken enough to start having a good time, and Tommy had cut him off before things got too crazy. Oliver was thankful for that since he did have work the next day. He'd arrived this morning, noticing Felicity's car and considering stopping by her office to say good morning. It wasn't his fault his body yearned to see her twenty-four/seven.

Then, he remembered how she'd basically told him to stay the hell away from her, and retreated all the way to his office. He'd done some work throughout the morning, but he was mostly passing time until Thea got there. He'd been looking forward to lunch with his little sister since it'd been arranged, and she was right on time. She'd walked into his office, Chinese takeout in her hands.

They'd eaten in mostly silence, just enjoying each other's company. Now, they were pretty much finished, and he could tell Thea was waiting for him to say something about whatever it was that'd brought her here. He chose to stick to happier topics, debating whether or not he wanted her advice after all. Felicity didn't want anything to do with him, so it was kind of pointless.

"So, you wanna tell me what's been going on with you? Or are we going to walk around it for a few more minutes?" Thea questioned, tossing her napkin into her empty box and raising her eyebrow expectantly.

Oliver smiled calmly, taking a drink of his soda. "What makes you think there's something up?"

"Well, beside the fact that you told me something was," she started, looking thoughtful. "I don't know. You just seem different."

He kept his face even. "Different how?"

She eyed him, frowning. "You look sad. And you keep checking your phone, like you're expecting something."

She knew him well, he had to give her that. "Maybe I am," he started, running a hand over his face. "I haven't exactly been having the easiest time lately. Something's been screwing with my head, Thea."

She scanned over him, her tone serious. "It's a girl, isn't it?"

"Yes," he answered, watching as her whole face lit up in what he assumed to be excitement. "Wait, what? You like a girl, Ollie? Like, like her enough for her to be getting to you? Who is she? Tell me  _everything_!"

"There's not much to tell, Speedy," he lied, because though he hadn't known Felicity long, there was a hell of a lot to tell.

"Sure there is. If she's gotten you to need to come to your younger sister for advice, then there has to be plenty."

"You act like I never talk about girls," he said, dodging her persistence yet again.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "You kind of don't. I mean, at least not past you finding one attractive. Never, have you told me a girl has gotten to you. I thought my bachelor of a brother was immune to all women."

"Hey," he protested, being stopped by her glare. "Okay, fine. Maybe I'm a little unfazed when it comes to girls. But this girl... Thea, she's something else. She's unlike anyone I've ever met."

She grinned, obviously happy by what he was revealing to her. "So, tell me more about this girl whose stolen your heart."

He gave her a warning look, sighing as he debated how far into detail he should go. "Well, she's head of the IT Department," he began, hearing a low whistle from Thea.

"So she's a smart one. Gotcha."

"Oh, you have no idea," he confirmed. "I met her a few days ago in one of the board meetings. She spoke out against my proposal. As a matter of fact, she was the  _only_  one to speak out against it."

"Which one?"

He exhaled, looking down. "My proposal to cut the funding for the IT Department."

"Oh, so she hates you?"

"Basically," he nodded. "My problem is getting her to un-hate me. Or, at least find out why I want her to like me so bad."

"And that's where I come in handy?" she asked, smiling widely. "I'd be honored to help, big brother."

He cracked a smile. "Thank you, Thea."

"No problem, Ollie," she assured, her eyes warm. "I appreciate you telling me about her. I know it probably wasn't easy to do. You and sharing feelings don't exactly mix."

His eyebrows raised in agreement. "I don't ever work this hard to get a girl. Normally, if I see she isn't interested, I find someone who is. But with her... I can't stay away. I just keep coming back."

"How does she act when you're with her?"

"Well, I think almost every conversation we've had so far has ended in us fighting. It seems she can't be within five feet of me without getting pissed off. That always leads to me getting pissed off, and then I leave before I can make an even bigger ass of myself."

"She stands up to you? Wow, now I really need to meet this girl."

Oliver chortled, thinking that Thea had no idea. The way Felicity talked to him was unlike anything he was used to. She could go from being teasing, to angry, and back to teasing again all within one conversation. And that shit she'd pulled in her office? It had nearly given him a heart attack. She had him in the palm of her hand, and she probably didn't even know it.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Thea asked, making him flush. "It's okay. It happens to me all the time."

"Is this your way of telling me you have a boyfriend, Speedy?"

"Potentially," she answered, not giving too much away as per usual. "But we're here to talk about you."

"I don't know what else to say. She's just different. I can't explain it."

Thea bumped her knee against his. "What's her name?"

"Felicity Smoak."

Without even realizing it, he said her name with a smile. Thea caught it though, and she reflected it. It was good to see her brother so happy, despite his confused state at the moment. She was almost positive he hadn't smiled since their dad died. She thought that whoever this Felicity girl was, she must be pretty damn special. Especially if she wasn't putting up with any of Oliver's crap.

Thea glanced at the clock he had hanging in his office, suddenly realizing how much time had passed since she'd gotten there. She was expecting a big shipment in half an hour, and she had to be there to sign for it. As much as she hated to leave her brother when he needed some advice, she needed that shipment for Sara's birthday party on Saturday.

"Alright, Ollie," Thea regretfully began, getting to her feet. "I have to get going. I need to sign for the shipment of Sara's favorite alcohol for her surprise party on Saturday. You're going to that, right?"

He nodded, bringing her in for a hug. "Of course I am. It was really nice spending this time with you. We don't hang out enough anymore."

"Well, we're going to need to so that I can give you some proper advice on how to handle your dream girl," she teased, walking beside him to the elevators. "I need to meet her as soon as possible."

He considered this, dipping his head. "We'll see how things play out."

"You better keep me posted," she ordered, turning to step onto the elevators just as they opened.

Oliver's heart stopped, seeing Felicity step off the elevator. She had been looking down, nearly bumping into him as she finally looked up. She took a couple steps back, making him flush as thoughts of her pressed against him from the day before went through his mind. Thea must have caught his reaction to seeing her, because she let the elevator doors close and stepped to the other side of him.

"Oliver, I thought you'd be in your office," she said, glancing at Thea uncomfortably.

"I was just walking my sister to the elevator," he explained, gesturing towards Thea who gave a small wave.

"Right, you're Thea Queen," Felicity unnecessarily stated, crossing her arms at the wrist nervously.

Thea nodded, obviously taking mental notes on Felicity. "And you're the girl who's gotten my brother so worked up."

Oliver coughed, catching the deep flush of Felicity's cheeks. She was so pretty. He shook his head, trying to think of something to say to end the awkwardness. Thea was the only one who seemed unfazed. He was suddenly regretting telling her anything.

"Thea, I thought you had to get going," Oliver reminded her, glaring at her in a probably noticeable way.

"Right," she replied, pushing the button for the elevator again. "I guess I just got so sidetracked with all this tension in here."

Oliver grit his teeth, his voice practically a growl. "Why don't you take the stairs, Speedy?"

He didn't give her much of a choice as he turned her shoulders in the direction of the stairwell, walking her some of the way. She protested a little, but obeyed in the end. Felicity just stood idly by, rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet.

When Thea was gone and they were finally alone, Oliver turned to look at her with an embarrassed grin. "I'm so sorry about that. My sister tends to overstep her boundaries from time to time."

"No need to explain. My best friend is the same way."

He smiled, gesturing towards his office. "Do you want to talk in here?"

"Uh, yeah," she agreed, following him into the huge room. "I just came to drop off the papers for the investment."

He took notice for the first time the file she held in her hand. She handed it over, and he flipped through it carelessly. Seeing Ray's signature all over the documents made his blood boil. That lead to him thinking about all of the alone time Ray spent with Felicity in the confines of her office right after he'd been in there with her.

"Thank you," he murmured, refusing to meet her eyes in case she saw his anger.

She looked around his office, and he expected her to leave. It took him by surprise when she sat down in the chair across from his desk.

"Look, I don't want to fight," she started, and he slowly sunk into his own chair. "This thing between us has gotten way out of hand. What happened it my office the other day... It shouldn't have happened."

"I agree," he said, but honestly, he couldn't find it in himself to regret it.

"Do you really?" she asked, letting out a knowing laugh that triggered his own.

He tilted his head to the side, smirking. "No."

She tucked her lips in, and he could tell she was trying not to smile. The sight only made his heart rate increase, and he gripped the armrests of his chair tightly to keep himself from acting on one of the many thoughts running through his mind.

"I realized multiple times, that you bring out the bitch in me," she continued, her eyes flashing up to his as if searching for a sign of agreement. He wasn't going to give her one, and she must have sensed that because she started talking again. "And despite what you may think, I don't like being that person. So, I want to apologize. For all of it."

He studied her, confused as hell. "You don't have to apologize to me, Felicity. I don't regret a single moment I've spent with you."

She didn't say anything, but her eyes searched his. There seemed to be a debate occurring within herself, and he wished that he could witness it for himself. If whatever was going through her mind right now had to do with him, he wanted to know. He  _needed_  to know.

"I came here for a reason, Oliver," she finally said, her tone too formal for his liking. "I want us to call a truce. I want the fighting to end."

A flare of hope seared through him. "I'd love that," he responded, straightening in his seat.

She gave him a small smile, staring at his desk. "I just think that it would be better if we go back to the way we were before we knew each other. Clearly, we can't be friends. Our disagreements are just too big."

"The funding cuts," he guessed, feeling as though a sword had been struck through him.

"Yeah," she confirmed, gnawing on her bottom lip regretfully. "I just can't act like it's not a big deal."

"I understand," he said, using the fake smile he used with everyone else, but never with her. "It was nice spending what little time I did with you."

She looked at him, and he knew she was seeing right through him. "I'm sorry, Oliver."

He shook his head, dismissing her apology once again. "I'm the one who put us in this situation, so I really have no right to complain. I cut the funding for your department without even thinking to consult with you about it. I knew it would piss you off, but I went through with it anyway. You outsmarted me and found a way to make things work," he said, picking up the investment documents with his hand to emphasize his point. "You're right, Felicity. This was never going to work."

Her expression looked pained, but she eventually nodded, getting to her feet. "Goodbye, Oliver," she murmured, giving him one last smile before leaving his office.

He took the rest of the day off.

* * *

Felicity avoided Oliver after he left her office on Wednesday, not trusting herself to see him and  _not_  jump his bones. She'd regretted her text to him demanding he leave her alone immediately, realizing how cruel that was of her. Not to even mention the fact that it was complete bullshit. She didn't want him to leave her alone. He frustrated the hell out of her, but it wasn't to the extent she'd made it seem to be.

On Thursday, she'd sat at her desk, thinking over every conversation they'd had together. They'd rolled through her mind like movie clips, and she'd found herself actually smiling from time to time. She'd realized just how many times she'd acted like a bitch to him, and was reminded each and every time of the reason behind it.

The funding cuts.

That was really the only thing keeping them from getting along. She'd tried to find a way to get over it, but she just couldn't. His decision was a big deal to her, and she thought it showed a lot about his character. She knew grudges were petty, but he got under her skin like no one else, and every emotion she felt towards him was somehow magnified.

So when she was angry with him, she was  _angry_ with him. It took a lot of thinking, but she'd finally come to the conclusion that it was best to stop interacting with him altogether. She didn't like the bitch she turned into around him, and she just couldn't find a way to suppress that part of her.

That's why at 1:25, she'd taken a deep breath, grabbed the investment papers from off her desk, and made her way into his office. The elevators had opened on him and his sister, who'd made a few comments about her that Felicity was really confused by. Oliver was fazed by it, and kicked his sister out of there as soon as possible. Felicity couldn't explain it, but he'd made her heart rate quicken at just the sight of him, and she'd had to remind herself of why she was there.

They'd gotten to talking in his office, and she'd actually enjoyed it. That'd made doing what she did next harder, but she was a determined woman, and when she stuck her mind to something, she got it done. Telling Oliver that they should go back to the way things were before they met was painful, but he was understanding and didn't make her feel bad in the slightest. She'd left his office before she changed her mind.

Friday went by longer than any other day that week, and she guessed that it had a lot to do with Oliver not stopping by her office. She'd grown used to his visits, even though they weren't normally pretty. For some reason, she'd felt sad. When the day finally ended, she'd left her office as soon as possible without a single glance back.

Now, it was Saturday, the day of Sara's surprise party. Her and Sara were in her room, getting ready for what Sara thought was just a couple drinks in celebration of her birthday at Verdant. Little did she know that Thea had reserved the entire VIP lounge for her party, and they were going to be serving her favorite drinks all night long.

Felicity had to work hard to keep from blowing the whole thing, thankful that Sara didn't even sense anything was up. Felicity was really excited for the party, but there was a part of her that was excited because she knew she'd see Oliver there. After not seeing him on Friday, she found herself missing him. Looking didn't mean she was going to talk to him again.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sara asked her suddenly, drawing her away from the thought of what she'd do when she saw Oliver again.

Felicity swallowed, trying to look as innocent as possible. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. You just seem like you have a lot on your mind right now. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Felicity shook her head, giving Sara a not-so-reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Sara. Really."

Sara eyed her skeptically, and Felicity knew she didn't buy it for even a second. "Is this about Oliver?" she asked, reading Felicity's reaction fast, and having her suspicion confirmed. "It is! What happened? Did you guys finally have sex?"

Felicity didn't know how to react. She was at a loss for words. Sara could be so blunt sometimes, and Felicity was still getting used to that trait. The thought of the roses that had appeared on her desk popped into her mind, and she remembered how she swore she was going to kill Sara for being behind it. Now was her chance to get to the bottom of this.

"No, we didn't have sex," Felicity addressed first, ignoring the look of disappointment on Sara's face. "But why the hell did you send me flowers pretending to be Ray Palmer?"

Sara didn't even try to deny it. She burst into giggles, hunching over as she laughed hysterically. Felicity just watched her, waiting for a real explanation. After Sara calmed down, she fixed her makeup, looking at Felicity through the mirror.

"Please tell me Oliver saw them," she pleaded.

Felicity fumed. "Yeah, he saw them. He saw them before I freaking did because he was lurking around my office like some stalker!"

Sara's jaw dropped, and she turned to Felicity with curiosity in her eyes. "What did he say?"

"He backed me into the wall and told me that I belonged to him," Felicity answered, still shocked to her core by what had taken place in her office that day.

Sara looked back at her, quiet, right before exploding into cheers. "Holy crap, Felicity! I knew that would give him the little push he needed. He  _hates_  Palmer, and he apparently cannot get enough of you. God, he must have been so jealous at the thought of Ray taking what he can't have."

"That's right, he can't have me," Felicity agreed. "I made myself clear on that the other day, and we've agreed to stay out of each other's lives."

"Tell me you're joking."

"I'm not," Felicity denied. "I talked to him on Thursday, and he's stayed true to his word so far."

Sara shook her head. "When are you going to get out of this denial?"

"What denial?" Felicity questioned, offended. "Sara, I told you he was getting on my nerves, and you decided to try and aggravate him into screwing me. I'm telling you we cannot get along, and you're still pushing me to pursue him. If anything,  _you're_  in denial!"

"Fine," Sara conceded, crossing her arms. "You want me to stay out of it, then I will. I was only trying to be a good best friend and help my friend score a guy who I thought she had some hidden attraction for. I'll drop it, just please, let's not fight on my birthday."

Felicity sighed, being struck with a bolt of guilt. Sara thought what she had done was helping, and Felicity shouldn't have gotten as mad as she did. Maybe she blamed Sara for the way Oliver had made her feel that day, because she was too afraid to admit that she'd enjoyed it. Damn it, maybe she  _was_  in denial.

"I'm sorry, Sara," she apologized, bringing her in for a hug. "I know you were only trying to help, and I love you for it."

"I love you, too," Sara murmured, and when Felicity pulled away, she could see that Sara was smiling. "Now, can we pleased get shit-faced drunk?"

Felicity sighed dramatically, wrapping an arm lovingly around her best friend. "Of course we can."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you thought! :)


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So glad to finally be able to post new chapters of this story on here! Unfortunately, I won't be able to post chapters as quickly as I have been lately, since I don't have them ready just yet. This chapter is super long, so enjoy! :)

Oliver walked into Verdant, smiling politely at the people who were swarming the club, relieved when no one stopped him. He made his way to the bar, already spotting Tommy, Laurel, and Thea gathered there, laughing at something that was clearly being said by Tommy. He didn't see Sara anywhere, and wondered if she had even showed up yet. His friends and sister looked at him when he took the open seat next to Tommy, beaming.

"Ollie, you're early!" Thea said, wrapping her arms around him from her place behind the bar. "That's a first!"

Oliver smiled, pulling away from his sister to give Laurel a brief hug. "Where's Sara at?"

"She should be here any minute, according to Lis," Laurel answered, returning to her spot by Tommy's side. "She still has no idea about the party."

Oliver nodded, not paying much attention to whoever this 'Lis' person was. He'd never heard of her, but he figured that she must be Sara's best friend. He was about to ask about Nyssa, when he caught sight of her in the VIP lounge. Many of the other guests were up there as well, clearly enjoying their night of fame in the most exclusive club in Starling City.

Laurel's phone buzzed, and she got an excited look on her face as she read the text. "They're pulling in now. I'm going to go tell the others."

Oliver watched as she rushed to the stairs, turning his attention to Tommy, who practically had hearts in his eyes from staring at Laurel's retreating figure. Oliver shook his head, smirking to himself. His best friend was totally whipped. He noticed that Tommy was already drinking, and decided to grab something for himself while he had the chance.

"Can I get a beer?" he asked, directing his question towards the bartender who was standing a few feet away from him.

The woman behind the bar nodded her head to show him she'd heard his request, and got to filling his order. Oliver muttered a thank you when she handed his beer over. Just as he was taking a drink, Thea was slapping his arm to get his attention.

"What is it?" he asked, setting his glass down before her insistent shaking made him spill it.

"Hot blonde, four o'clock," she told him excitedly, making his head jerk in that direction.

He felt his breath catch at the sight of her.

 _Of Felicity_.

She had on a tight, gold dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The gold heels that accompanied the dress made her legs look endless, the same legs that he'd stood between only days before. Her hair was cascading down her shoulders in bright, blonde waves, and she'd forgone her glasses. His hand tightened around the glass. God, she was gorgeous.

But... why was she here?

"What, is your sister getting girls for you now?" Tommy taunted, drawing Oliver's attention back to the real world.

"No, that's just Ollie's crush," Thea explained easily.

Tommy's eyebrows raised as Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's here? The girl that you can't get out of your head? Oh my God, show me who she is now. I'm serious."

"Stop!" Oliver snapped, growing nervous that she'd somehow overhear. "She made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me anymore, so I'm trying to respect that. Don't give her a reason to come over here."

"Fine," Tommy conceded, sensing how serious Oliver was being. "But at least show me who she is."

Oliver heaved a sigh, deciding that there was no harm in showing his best friend who she was. Plus, Tommy would never let it go if he didn't know what she looked like. So, nodding his head, Oliver turned around to point Felicity out to him, only to come face to face with her.

His mouth dried, but she didn't looked surprised to see him there in the least bit. "Whoa- I- Uh," he stuttered, and she gave him a funny look before smiling at something behind him.

Oliver followed her eyes, seeing that the person who was making her grin like that was none other than his best friend.

_What the fuck?_

"Tommy," she beamed, wrapping her arms around him.

Tommy returned the hug, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Felicity, I swear, you get better looking every time I see you."

She flushed, laughing his compliment off. Oliver looked at his friend and saw red. He was confused as hell, but there wasn't an explanation in the world that would make him be okay with the sight of Tommy touching his- Fuck. She wasn't his. Wait, screw that. Yes, she was. Felicity Smoak was his, and he didn't care how much she despised him at the moment, because they both knew it was true.

"Oh, Tommy," she laughed, stepping out of his embrace, but keeping an arm slung lazily over his shoulders. "You're too kind."

He chuckled, looking up at her since he was seated and she was not. "So, where's the birthday girl?"

Suddenly, everything clicked into place for Oliver. 'Lis' was short for Felicity, who was apparently Sara's best friend. Now that he thought about it, Oliver remembered Sara talking about having a friend who worked at Queen Consolidated. That explained why Felicity was so comfortable with Tommy, and was used to texting Laurel. He looked over at Thea, and she seemed to be putting the pieces together as well.

"I told her to drop me off while she parked the car. We're meeting by this bar, so she should be coming any second now. Is everyone ready upstairs?" she questioned.

Tommy nodded. "Yup, Laurel's taking care of it as we speak."

"Cool," she remarked, and Oliver realized he was staring at her. "So, what were you guys doing before I got here?"

"Right!" Tommy remembered, making Oliver's stomach sink. "Well my best friend right here, was just about to show me the girl he's completely infatuated with. Apparently, she's here right now. You still see her, buddy?"

Oliver stiffened, and never in his life had he wanted to combust more than he did in that moment. His face was on fire, and he refused to even glance Felicity's direction. He could hear Thea's muffled laugh, and covered his face with a hand.

Tommy spoke again, clearly confused. "Am I missing something here? Did she leave...? I don't... understand."

"Drop it, Tommy," Oliver grit out, turning just enough to see Felicity staring at him, lips parted.

His gaze softened when he saw her, his muscles uncoiling. She didn't seem mad or annoyed, and he took that as a good sign. He couldn't figure out what she was thinking, but from the looks of it, he didn't have to worry about her biting his head off.

"You sneaky bitches," a voice said, breaking the moment between him and Felicity.

Oliver turned around, finding Sara standing a couple feet away from him, grinning wildly. Felicity laughed, rushing over to hug her tightly. Oliver breathed a sigh of relief at their interaction, happy to have the attention off of him. Maybe everyone would forget it had ever happened.

"Did we surprise you?" Felicity asked, and Sara laughed.

"You would have, if I didn't see my girlfriend's car in the parking lot. I knew something was up then and there. Looks like I was right."

"Hey, you have to give it to us for hiding it for so long," Felicity said, and Sara nodded.

"Yes, I will admit that your sneaking skills are improving."

Felicity did a little fist bump, and Oliver had to even his breathing before it started to get out of hand with the intensity of how attracted to her he was. Sara moved in to give Tommy and Thea hugs, before finally making her way back to him. She looked at him in a way that made him uncomfortable, almost as if she knew something that he didn't.

"Oliver, it's good to see you," she greeted, and he smiled politely.

"Likewise," he replied, giving her a side hug. "I wasn't going to miss your birthday party, Sara. Once Tommy told me about it, I cleared my schedule."

"Thanks." Sara stepped away from him. "I should go say hi to the others," she decided. "I'm assuming they're all upstairs?"

"They are," Thea confirmed, and Oliver knew she was still laughing internally about how awkward of a position he was in. "The entire VIP lounge is reserved for you, my dear. Enjoy."

Once Sara was gone, Tommy suddenly offered his arm to Felicity, and she looked at him. "What do you say, Ms. Smoak? Care to join me for a dance?"

"Why, Mr. Merlyn, I'd be honored," she accepted, giggling at their own exchange.

Oliver watched, equally pained and enraged. Felicity didn't even spare him a second glance as she took off with his best friend, disappearing with him into the mass of people. Oliver's jaw hurt from being clenched so tightly, and the only thought running through his head was that he needed her to not hate him, like,  _now_. He knew it was terrible, but he wanted to put Tommy in his place for talking to Felicity like that.

For looking at her like that.

For  _touching_  her like that.

"Relax," a voice said, and he glanced away to see Thea in front of him, her hand touching his arm. "Tommy is head-over-heels in love with Laurel. You know that. He would never do anything to compromise that. Him and Felicity are obviously just really good friends."

Oliver let her words sink in, craving the rationality of them. Anything else was going to make him lose it.

"God, I want her," he said, with barely constrained emotion.

Thea nodded. "I know."

"And she hates me," he continued, exhaling into his hands in both frustration and self-pity.

Again, Thea comforted him, giving him a sympathetic smile. "So fix it. If living in this world has taught me anything, it's that even the biggest mistakes can be fixed. Talk to her. Do what you have to do, but don't give up. Don't let the only girl you've ever felt this sort of passion for slip away. It wouldn't be fair to either one of you."

He considered what Thea said, but knew that the only way Felicity would ever even think of forgiving him, would be if she knew the truth behind the funding cuts. And telling her the truth would compromise the company. It was something that was buried after the proposal was made, and was meant to never be spoken of again. Walter and his mother were the only other people who knew, and though the secret may not have been as big a deal as they were making it out to be, it could very badly impact QC if it ever got out.

Oliver straightened up, deciding that he would just have to deal with it. He'd live on the idea that she couldn't possibly hate him forever. There had to be some small part of her that'd enjoyed his company, right? She had to have been missing him at least a little.

"Looks like she's coming back," Thea observed, and Oliver's heart rate quickened. "And she's by herself."

They shared a look, before Thea gave his arm a reassuring pat, going off to anywhere that wasn't near him. Oliver smiled, making a mental note to buy his sister something special for all of her support. When did that designer bag that she wanted come out?

The movement of someone taking the seat next to him stopped his thoughts, and he looked over to find Felicity sitting there, her expression unreadable. He just stared at her, his mind racing and his pulse speeding. She glanced down, and he wanted to tuck the stray strand of hair that'd fallen in front of her face behind her ear.

"You look nice," he found himself saying, his voice way rougher than he would have liked.

Her skin flushed, and he felt his heart clench in something akin to joy.

"Thank you," she murmured, crossing her arms over the counter. "So, you're probably really confused right now."

He knew what she was referring to, and shook his head. "Actually, I think I've figured most of it out. You're Sara's best friend, and that's how you know some of the most important people in my life," he summarized.

She nodded. "Pretty much." She was quiet for a few seconds. "I wasn't sure how to tell you that I knew the people in your world so well. We'd never spoken before a couple weeks ago, and I never thought it would come up."

"I understand," he promised, glancing over at her. "You and Tommy seem close."

Cursing himself, he grit his teeth. He just had to go there. He couldn't have just let it go. Now, she was going to be pissed all over again, and he wouldn't blame her. His jealousy was petty, and uncalled for.

But she wasn't mad.

"He's like a brother to me," she explained, probably sensing his jealousy. "That's all."

He nodded, feeling as though he should change the subject. "How'd you meet Sara?"

She relaxed at the change in topic. "Um, we met at the gym not too long after I moved here. We clicked, and became instant friends. She's actually the one who convinced me to apply at your company," Felicity revealed, and Oliver had never been more grateful for Sara than in that moment. "I was reluctant, but did it anyways. I met with Walter, and it didn't take me long to realize that I'd been wrong about the place."

"I'm glad you feel that way," he said, his lips slightly curved. "Even though I've made your life hell these past couple of weeks."

"Not all of its been hell," she admitted, and he was looking at her with his heart in his throat.

Her eyes scanned over him, and he saw no regret for what she'd just confessed. He swallowed, and her eyes flicked to his throat, before jumping back to his face. He hated himself for wanting her as much as he did. It wasn't normal. This was... Fuck, he couldn't even put a name on it. All he knew was that it was more.  _She_  was more.

She only continued to render him speechless when she said, "And Sara sent the flowers, not Ray."

"Why would she do that?" he asked, finally finding his voice.

She shrugged, looking away. "She thought she was being helpful or something."

He nodded, though he was even more confused. Helpful with what? How was sending flowers pretending to be Ray Palmer being helpful? It didn't make sense to him, unless Sara was trying to spark something between Felicity and Ray. The very idea had his skin flaming.

"I appreciate you respecting our agreement," she told him, taking his mind off of Ray.

He looked at her, his words heavy. "It wasn't easy."

"I know," she whispered, staring at the bar top. "But I did get a whole lot more work done without your distracting visits."

He chuckled. "Felicity, it's you who is the distraction."

Her lips quirked up as she blushed. "Then you must not know you."

A surge of pride went through him at the knowledge that she found him distracting. He knew not to press her though, so he refrained from saying any one of the several responses that flitted through his head. Instead, he smiled, just basking in her beauty.

"I should probably go find Sara," she said, disappointment filling him that their talk was ending. "It was nice having a conversation with you that didn't end in arguing."

He laughed, but his heart wasn't in it. "Yeah, it was." He looked over at her, before glancing down. "Goodbye, Felicity."

She looked at him a second longer, murmuring her goodbye, before leaving him all alone at the bar, wondering how the hell he was going to survive without seeing her everyday.

* * *

Oliver left the club that night, his mind fuzzy from too many shots with Tommy. After his talk with Felicity at the bar, they didn't exchange another word. She'd gotten a little tipsy and had eyed him more, but never did she approach him. He'd avoided scotch, because he knew that it made him act on his emotions, meaning that he'd have had Felicity against the darkest corner of the club before she could have even had a chance to blink.

He spent his Sunday sleeping in, lounging around his apartment since his hangover was killing him. His mom called him to check up on the charity gala that was next weekend, and Oliver hadn't had the patience to reassure her everything was just as fine as it had been the last hundred times she'd asked. He wanted to be alone, and just have time to think about the girl who was driving him up the wall.

On Monday, he saw her around the office a few times. She never noticed him, or at least he didn't think she did. Each time she was speaking with someone else, and he envied the people that could talk to her so freely. Staying away from her was hell, and knowing she was so near only made matters worse.

Tuesday was the same case for him, except he was reminded by Walter of a meeting scheduled for the next day, and his skin started to tingle with the anticipation of it. Meetings - things he normally despised - were now exciting him, because they meant that he had an excuse to be in a room with Felicity. Sure, he'd prefer it if they were alone in said room, but he'd take what he could get at this point.

So on Wednesday, he wore his nicest suit, the one he'd caught her eyeing him in on the day they spoke for the first time. He tried to act like it was no big deal, but the thought of seeing her was making his chest tighten and his knees bounce up and down as he sat in his chair. The meeting was right before lunch, meaning that she would have already had her daily dose of caffeine.

He'd taken notice of her coffee addiction, and memorized the way she took her coffee after sneaks at the label on her cups. The one day he decided to bring her one was supposed to earn him points on her depiction of him. Instead, they got into a huge fight about flowers that weren't even sent from who he'd thought they were sent from. Yeah, that had definitely  _deducted_  him points.

Oliver didn't have much time to consider ways he could earn points with her without interacting with her, as the first few department heads started arriving. He stood at the front of the room, welcoming each one in with his fake smile. One by one, they entered, his heart rate speeding every time he thought one was Felicity. Funnily enough, she was the last one to arrive, her skin flushed as she made her way into the conference room without even looking at him.

Oliver frowned, but didn't dwell too much on it. She'd have to see him at some point. They were in the same freaking room for Christ's sake. He tried to regain his composure, reminding himself that there were other people in the room, people who were waiting for him to screw up. Clearing his throat, he approached the table, his gaze lingering on Felicity for a few briefs seconds, who was placing her notepad onto the table.

"Hello, everyone," he greeted, earning a series of murmurs back.

His attention landed on Felicity once again, who took that moment to look up at him. Her eyes shone with surprise from behind her glasses, and he noticed the way she had her red pen pressed against the corner of her lips. He swallowed, directing his gaze away for more than one reason.

"I know we're here to discuss how things are progressing with the funding plan," Oliver began, purposefully avoiding Felicity's direction this time. "And to be honest, there really isn't much to tell. The plan has just gotten approved by the other branches, so results haven't been palpable yet."

"Mr. Queen, are you aware that the Applied Sciences Division just lost the company thousands of dollars in an experiment gone wrong?"

Oliver stared at him, trying to find his words. "No, I am not."

He nodded, and the group shared a look. Another man, one who Oliver recognized as the head of the Applied Sciences Division, cleared his throat, preparing himself to speak.

"What are you going to do about this, Mr. Queen? Our department will suffer greatly if we don't have that money replaced," he informed him, and Oliver began to panic at how unprepared he was.

Why didn't anyone tell him about this?

Walter joined in, and Oliver knew his intentions were only to be helpful. "Well, that just means we'll have to take the money from somewhere else."

Oliver was about to add onto that, when another person spoke, a woman this time. "I heard that the IT Department just got a huge investment from Palmer Industries. Why don't we take more money from that department?"

Oliver felt as though he were being choked, and everyone around the room was voicing their agreement to the idea. Everyone except Felicity. Oliver's eyes met with hers, and he saw the fire that was slowly started to ignite from behind them. If he took more money from her department, she would surely kill him. Especially after working so hard to get it back.

"Applied Science is more important," someone pressed. "The company will suffer more with losses from that department than from IT."

Oliver took a second to think things over, drowning everyone else out. He weighed his options. If he didn't take money from the IT Department, Felicity wouldn't hate him even more than she already did, but he would be putting the future of his company in danger. If he did take money from the IT Department, then he would be saving his company, and he would lose whatever last shred of hope he had left for getting Felicity not to hate him.

As much as it pained him, he knew what he had to do.

"Fine, we'll take a small amount of money from IT to put into Applied Sciences," he decided, his bones chilling when he heard no disruption from Felicity.

He risked a glance at her, but she was staring down, her face giving away nothing. Oliver didn't even want to continue with the meeting, but he had a room full of people waiting for him to take control. So, he sucked it up, continuing on with leading the group.

Time went by slowly, and Felicity didn't look at him once. That only made Oliver nervous, and he was starting to break out in a sweat. The rest of the people in the room had a lot to say, almost all of it some type of criticism. Oliver was sure he would have been more concerned about that, had his mind not been focused solely on Felicity.

He hoped she would let him talk to her after the meeting. It didn't matter if she thought he was the worst person in the world. He needed to at least try and convince her otherwise. He'd been hoping that they'd get past not seeing each other, but it was going to go on forever now.

When the meeting finally came to an end, Oliver stood in his same place at the head of the conference room, seeing each person leave. Felicity was still at the table by the time most of the people had left, gathering her things together. Oliver was already making his way over to her, when he was stopped by Walter.

"Oliver, do you have a minute?" he asked, being as courteous as ever.

Oliver glanced behind him at Felicity, who ducked her head as she made her way to the door. He grit his teeth, tempted to just chase after her, stop her, pull her against him and never let her go until she understood. Yet, he did nothing, watching her leave and then focusing his attention back on Walter.

"Sure," he answered, swallowing down the pain coursing through him at the moment.

Walter gave him a look, but didn't prod him. "I know how chaotic things were in the meeting, but I just wanted to say that I think you handled it exactly as a good CEO would. These people are waiting for you to make a mistake, Oliver. So far, you haven't given them that. Taking funds from the IT Department is not ideal, but it's still better than the alternative."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel that way, Walter," Oliver muttered, scratching the back of his head, and covering up his response by speaking again. "Thanks for all of the support. I don't know how I could have done any of this without you."

Walter smiled, shaking Oliver's hand before exiting the conference room. Oliver waited until he'd left, then collapsed into a chair, letting his head fall into his hands. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his thoughts. It was useless, because all of them were screaming at him the hatred Felicity felt for him now. He stood up, knowing that if anyone saw him like that, they would ask questions. So, composing himself as best as he could, he left and made his way to his office.

He opened the door, stepping in and shutting it behind him. Looking up from the ground, he saw Felicity leaning against his desk, her anger now very evident on her face. Still, he was relieved beyond belief that she was there. It meant that she still cared, even if not in the way he wanted.

"You're mad," he stated, and regretted the words instantly.

Her glare cut him. "You don't even feel a little sorry, do you?" she asked, her tone cold.

"Felicity-"

"No," she interrupted, raising a finger to silence him. "You know how angry I was about you cutting funds for my department the first time. I hated you for that. I couldn't even stand the sound of your voice." His heart ached with what she said, and she only continued. "But you just kept coming around, trying to get close to me no matter how hard I tried to avoid it."

"I couldn't stay away," he justified, but she didn't even flinch.

She shook her head. "You should have. All you ever did was drive me crazy. I'm not yours, and yet you like to hang this cloud of possession over me, getting jealous whenever another guy even looks at me!"

"They shouldn't be looking at what's mine," he growled, the fire in his veins heating as he clenched his fists at the thought of Ray Palmer.

She gave him an incredulous look. "That's exactly what I am talking about! I don't belong to you! You have no right to call me yours."

He groaned in frustration, pacing the room. "You drive me insane!" he snapped, staring at her.

Her eyes were narrowed, and he was clearly only pissing her off more. "You do this to yourself."

"All I want is for you to not hate me."

"Cutting the funding from my department is not the way to do it," she informed him. "And not only did you do that once, but today, you went ahead and did it another time. I worked hard for that money, Oliver! God, I went and had dinner with Ray Palmer, and we-"

"And you what?" he cut off, suddenly standing right in front of her, his jealousy nearly boiling over.

She swallowed, backing up into the wall. He followed her step for step, his mind already ten miles past rational. He closed in on her, trapping her against himself and the plaster, completely towering over her. Her eyes were locked with his, her voice unsteady when she spoke next.

"Get away from me," she ordered.

"No," he replied, his response instantaneous.

She continued looking at him, a fire igniting from behind her blue orbs. "Get the hell away from me!"

"What did you and Ray Palmer do, Felicity?" he questioned, his voice hard with emotion.

She stared at him a second longer, before plummeting her fists into his chest. He remained unmoved, her fists ineffectual against the firm muscles that made up his upper body. She only pounded harder, letting out growls of frustration at the fact that he wouldn't budge.

Oliver took his time to think about it, to look down at the woman he was sure he was in love with, and see that she hated him more than anything in the world, and suddenly, none of it mattered anymore. The secret behind the funding cuts, didn't matter, and Oliver was sick of keeping it. To him, all that mattered was Felicity. He couldn't have her hate him like this. There was nothing in the world that could make this pain bearable.

He made up his mind the instant he realized she went above all of it, and caught one of her fists in his hand, holding it between them. He did the same with the other one when she tried to fight him off, and he couldn't contain it anymore. He needed to be set free. He needed her to not hate him, to like him, to  _want_  him.

"I didn't want to cut the funds," he blurted, watching as she registered what he said, the fire in her eyes slowly dying, only to be replaced with confusion.

She was trembling, and he didn't know if it was from how angry she'd been, or because he'd completely flipped things around on her. He waited for her to calm down some, his eyes glued to hers.

"What?" she whispered.

"The company is sinking," he explained, sighing because he was risking everything by telling her this, yet somehow, he didn't care. "We're spending more money than is being put in. Walter approached me about it, and told me that I needed to start letting people go. He gave me a number, one that I don't even want to repeat, and asked me to take care of it by the end of the month. I couldn't do it, Felicity. I couldn't just put innocent, hardworking people out on their jobs." His eyes glanced at the ground, before flicking back up to hers. "So, I told him I'd find another way."

"The funding," she guessed, her voice small.

He nodded in confirmation. "My solution was to cut back on some of the funding for the IT Department. It was the only department I knew would be fine without the money. Yeah, it would be tough, but it'd manage. Any of the others would most likely have crashed and burned. And the day we spoke for the first time, I realized just how brilliant you are. You're the reason I didn't have to fire all of those people. You're the reason that they got to keep their jobs. I know you're mad at me for taking more money away from you, but I wouldn't do it if I thought there was any other way."

She stared at him, not speaking for a few beats. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

He exhaled, feeling the muscles in his jaw tick as he looked down at her. "It was as secret."

"Then why did you tell me now?" she pressed, her voice barely audible.

"Because I'm done keeping this from you, Felicity," he said. "I'm tired of you not knowing the full story, and I'm tired of you hating me so much because of it. You hating me is the worst thing ever. I can't-"

She lunged herself at him, covering the rest of his words with her lips, and swallowing them down. He stood rigid for a few seconds, trying to process that her lips - the lips of the woman he spent every second of every day thinking about - were so soft and so warm, and pressed so firmly against his own. When he finally did get a hold of himself, his arms were wrapping around her, drawing her legs off of the ground, and around his waist.

He closed his eyes, hearing her moan into his mouth as he pressed her harder into the wall, his tongue taking the opportunity and completely invading her mouth. His hands were the only thing supporting her, and it frustrated him since he wanted to be holding her face, sinking further into her. As if she read his mind, her hands cupped his cheeks, her tongue coiling around his.

A small moan left him as he pulled her legs as far apart as they could go in this position, getting as between them as he could get. Her teeth clamped down onto his lower lip, tugging it into her mouth. It was probably the hottest thing to ever happen to him, and he found himself dizzy from her. Sucking his lip into her mouth, he let her glide her tongue along it in soothing strokes.

Meanwhile, he rubbed himself against her, hard as a rock in his slacks because of her. The moans she was letting out and the way she rocked her body against his only served to encourage him, and all he knew was that he needed to be closer. He needed to be closer to her, and then, all would be okay.

"Felicity," he murmured, barely getting her name out before she was devouring his lips.

He let her, kissing her back with just as much fervor because he'd waited  _so goddamn long_  to do this. But he ached for her, his pulse thrumming through him as his blood raced. He dug his fingers into her, absolutely loving the way she kept exploring him with her tongue. Holy shit, she was a good kisser.

"Felicity," he tried again, and this time she broke away.

"What?" she breathed.

He looked at her, her skin flushed and her lips swollen from kissing him so hard for so long. "Fuck," he muttered, bringing his lips to hers again because he never wanted her to forget what kissing him felt like.

When they finally did part, she began sucking a trail over his jaw and down his neck, making his grip on her waver as he attempted to keep his stability. Her nails scratched lightly at the back of his neck, running through the thin layer of hair there. His chest heaved against hers, and he locked his jaw as thoughts of being with her more intimately crossed his mind.

And once they started, there was no stopping them.

"Felicity, I need you," he told her desperately, holding her to him. "God, I need to be with you.  _Please_. I've needed this for so long. The thought of  _us_  doing  _this_... Its haunted me since the moment I met you."

She pulled back, her eyes flashing, but not in a good way. She looked like she was panicking, and then he saw the wheels behind her brain turning. That worried him, so he swallowed heavily, eyes locked intensely with hers. They remained like that, eyes matched and him clutching her to his body, for minutes. Then, she was shaking her head, pulling at his arms.

"Let me go," she murmured, and he could have sworn he saw her eyes watering.

His heart stopped. "Felicity-"

"Let me go, Oliver," she repeated, her voice slightly raised.

He obeyed instantly, dropping her feet to the ground and stepping back. She straightened out her clothes, patting down her hair, and wiping a hand over her lips. Oliver just watched her, confused and upset.

"Did I do something...?" he pondered, hoping she'd provide an answer.

She moved past him, going towards his door. "Oliver, I appreciate that you told me the truth, I really do. I don't hate you anymore, okay?"

No, it wasn't okay.

"I don't understand."

"I know," she said, looking down, and biting her lower lip in what he took as hopelessness. "I just... I can't do this." She sniffled, and he nearly pulled her back into his arms, only being stopped by the idea of making things worse. "This was a moment of weakness for me, and I'm sorry."

He didn't try to stop her when she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Felicity's POV in the next chapter, so you'll get to see her thought process during this whole last part. Leave a review!


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to post this so soon, but after last night's episode, I thought it would be a nice distraction. Hopefully it numbs the pain some.

Felicity Smoak lost her sense of control. Her values slipped from her grasp, and her pride dissipated into nothingness. It was all too good to be true. Oliver had reason. He took money from her department, because his only other option would have been to fire an insanely large number of people. He didn't do it because he could, or because he wanted to mess with her.

He had reason.

But not only that, he also shared the reason with her, making her understand. It was a secret, one she knew could basically destroy the company if any of the workers decided to retaliate- and judging by the way they handled news here, they would. He'd finally told her the only possible thing that could have kept her from kicking his ass right then and there.

So, she'd kissed him.

And it wasn't just any kiss either. She'd gone straight for it, all in. And Oliver took her in, scooping her up and holding her to him as if she were weightless. She could feel his want, his body responding to her so fast, she knew he'd thought about it plenty of times before. Her body yearned for him, too, bumping and grinding beyond even her own control. It seemed, her body had a mind of its own when it came to him.

She never wanted to stop kissing him. He was just so damn good at it, and kissing him felt like magic. Her emotions were finally at the surface, and she was just so close to confessing to him all of the things kissing him had made her realize. She'd realized that she had feelings for him - real feelings, and not in the friendly kind of way. She'd realized that she'd reached her capacity on sexual arousal with just one swipe of his tongue against her own - not completely relevant, but extremely important. And she'd realized that she wanted him, she wanted to  _try_  with him.

He'd spoken her name, his want searing her skin and making her heart race when she saw that he couldn't stop touching and kissing her. He kept trying, so she took pity on him, breaking away. He told her how badly he wanted her, and just like that, everything snapped into place for Felicity.

It was all about the sex for him.

He wanted her on a physical level, yes, but that was the only level there was. His claims that she was his was a territorial thing. No one got to play with his toys, especially if he hadn't gotten the chance to play with them himself first. And in that moment, she refused to be one of his toys. She refused to screw him up against that wall, because she deserved better than that.

He was confused when she pushed him away, and for a second, she thought he looked hurt. She looked away, not risking the chance of being drawn back in by him. He'd worked so hard to get her like that, and she wasn't going to fall for it a second time.

Because she wanted more with him, and he wanted something strictly physical.

She raced back to her office, ignoring the looks of concern Barry shot her way. She didn't give herself time to break down. There just wasn't enough of it now that more money was going to be extracted from her department. She could cry when she got home, and had a pint of mint chocolate chip to help her through it. No, now was the time for Professional Felicity.

She took out her notepad from the meeting, going over her notes and scribbling down ideas for how to fix what Oliver had broken again. She would figure something out.

She always did.

* * *

Felicity didn't want to go to the gala. It had been a few days since her and Oliver's last encounter, and she was still sickened by the thought of seeing him again. She had no idea how, but she'd managed to not catch even a glimpse of him at work the rest of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. She guessed that he must have made that happen on purpose, since the only reason she saw him around in the first place was because he made an effort to be seen by her.

It didn't really matter what the reason behind him staying out of her way was. All that mattered, was that she didn't have to see him. She did enough of that in her head now that she knew what it was like to kiss him and to be kissed by him, because she couldn't shake the urge from her head. Damn her moment of weakness!

Anyways, Felicity Smoak did not want to go to the gala, but it would have been rude of her not to come and show her support. Especially, since she held such an important position at the company. She promised herself earlier - once realizing that it couldn't have been avoided - that if she was going to go, she was going to go all out. She was going to make Oliver Queen a fool, because damn it, he'd missed out.

She'd taken Friday evening and some of Saturday afternoon assembling her outfit for the night, deciding to wear an assortment of newly purchased items only. Anything she'd worn in the past was forbidden, which really sucked since there was a pair of heels she'd been thinking about wearing to the event before the hot make-out session between her and the bane of her existence.

She bought a pair of black stilettos, ones that made Sara look twice, so she knew they were killer. There was a small store she stumbled upon in her search for the perfect dress, and she did find what she was looking for. The dress was tight in all the right places, and revealing enough to still be able to call it eloquent. She'd bought it without any hesitation, and knew she'd made the right call when she saw it on with her heels.

Felicity even took it that next step, and bought herself an all new pair of black panties, with the lace bra to match. This wasn't for the benefit of anyone but herself. Looking hot made her feel good, and if she was going to attend that gala, then she definitely needed to. She'd tried the whole ensemble on the night before, feeling a surge of confidence at her appearance.

Now, she stood at the entrance to the gala, really wishing she'd taken Sara's advice to bring someone with her. But no, Felicity had assured her she'd be fine on her own. And it wasn't like she wasn't fine right now, she just hated walking into events by herself. Especially this one, where Oliver was already inside, along with a hundred other rich people who looked down upon her.

A hand on her shoulder broke her out of her thoughts, and she turned around to come face to face with Ray Palmer. He was smiling at her, and she resisted the urge to pull away from him since he had some weird crush on her. Shaking her head, she scolded herself. He was just being nice. Truthfully, she was thankful he was standing there, probably more than willing to enter the gala with her.

"Felicity, I hoped I'd run into you here," he said, and his eyes subtly ran over her.

"I was debating whether or not to come," she admitted, getting the feeling that Ray wouldn't judge her for saying it. "Hopefully tonight goes well."

He nodded. "Well if Queen Consolidated doesn't receive any donations for their cause, then they can at least depend on one from me. I plan on making a sizable donation tonight."

She considered his words, finding them more thoughtful than anything else. "You've already done a lot to benefit this company. I appreciate all of it, I promise."

He shrugged as if dropping thousands of dollars were no big deal - and to him, it probably wasn't. Deciding the conversation was over, Felicity gestured towards the door, shifting awkwardly.

"Do you want to go in?" she asked.

"Whenever you're ready," he returned, and she opened the door to step through it.

The room was filled with people dressed in the most expensive dresses and suits, all chatting together so comfortably. In the center of the room, some people were dancing, and Felicity took notice of the live music in the right corner of the room. Tables covered in fancy food lined the space, with people helping themselves to modest servings.

And as Felicity's eyes took in the entirety of the floor, they got caught on someone. Oliver Queen was on the opposite side of the room, his eyes already on her. Unlike Ray, he didn't even try to hide his appreciation for her attire. His eyes hungrily raked over her, and even from across the room, she could see them darken. Her skin flushed, hating how he had that affect on her.

She was paying so much attention to him, that she caught the exact moment he noticed who was standing next to her. Immediately, a deadly, venomous look filled his eyes. His jaw locked, and Felicity found herself panicking. She glanced up at Ray, finding him already looking at Oliver, a smirk planted on his face. She figured it didn't take Ray too long to figure out that Oliver had some sort of attraction towards her, considering he was a genius and all.

"I'm going to get something to drink," she told Ray, just needing to be away from his side.

Things hadn't changed since the last time she'd seen him. She still wasn't attracted to him in the slightest, yet there he was, reacting as if they really were here together, and she really was involved with him. Though pissing Oliver off brought her great joy, she didn't want anyone else in there getting the wrong idea about them.

"Let me go with you," Ray imposed, his confidence almost repulsive now.

She didn't object, but only because she didn't see the point in it. There was no way in hell she was spending the whole evening with him, so tolerating him for a little while longer didn't seem like that big of a deal. Plus, she didn't need anymore awkwardness. There was enough of that already.

They made their way to the refreshments table, where a bottle of champagne sat, nestled in a bucket of ice. Ray took the liberty of pouring Felicity a glass of the fine bubbly, getting some for himself as well. It tasted absolutely amazing to Felicity, and she had to remind herself to take it easy. She still had to drive herself home after this.

There was another touch on her arm, and she was really fed up with Ray thinking it was okay to lay a hand on her at all. Quickly, she turned around, ready to give him an earful on why she wasn't okay with him touching her so intimately. Instead of finding Ray standing behind her, she saw Caitlin, her friend from one of the other departments. She looked taken aback by Felicity's expression, and relaxed when Felicity calmed down.

"Jeez, I didn't think you scared that easily," she joked, making Felicity laugh at herself in embarrassment.

She glanced around, surprised to find Ray on the other side of the room, speaking with an older man. "Sorry, I just thought you were someone else," Felicity explained.

"I wouldn't want to be them," Caitlin muttered, taking a sip of her champagne, and changing the subject. "You look hot. I feel like a pile of garbage next to you."

"Thanks, but I think that's highly inaccurate," Felicity argued. "I think that if you were standing in a pile of garbage, you'd still look like you belonged on the cover of a magazine."

She blushed, grinning at the compliment. "So, what's been up with you?"

Felicity shrugged. "Nothing much. I've just been dealing with the budget cuts for my department."

"Oh yeah. Barry told me that was really stressing you out."

Felicity gave Caitlin a weird look, because she had no clue her friend and Barry spoke to each other. They'd met through her a few months ago at one of the office parties, and Felicity couldn't even remember if they'd gotten along or not. If they'd kept in touch this entire time, then why didn't she know about it?

"I didn't know you still talked to Barry," Felicity informed her, trying to be as subtle as possible.

It didn't matter what Caitlin told her next, because Felicity knew everything she needed to know by the pinkness that washed over Caitlin's skin. She broke out into a grin that she tried to hide behind her glass, looking to the side. Felicity couldn't help but smile, wondering to herself why she didn't figure out her two nerdy friends would be perfect for each other.

"Yeah, Barry's great," Caitlin finally replied, and she'd gotten her blush under control. "Speaking of boys, how are things going with you?"

Felicity sighed. "Well, at the moment I have one boy who can't take a hint that I don't like him, and another who is extremely possessive over me."

"Wow," Caitlin murmured. "How'd you meet them?"

Felicity swallowed, folding her lips. "Work."

"Anyone I know?" Caitlin questioned, suddenly ten times more interested in the topic.

Felicity didn't want to lie to her, because everyone in that freaking city knew who Oliver Queen and Ray Palmer were. So, she just told Caitlin she didn't want to say, and then changed the subject. Felicity stayed by her side most of the night, losing track of her two billionaire headaches and actually having a good time. Before she knew it, an hour had flown by and Caitlin was telling her she needed to start heading home.

Felicity told her goodbye, watching her leave, and then standing by herself again. She spotted Ray on the other side of the room, his eyes landing on hers at the same time. He made it obvious he was excusing himself from the middle of a conversation, and began to make his way over to her. A figure slid into place next to her before she could react to Ray, and she glanced up to see Oliver standing there, his eyes piercing through her skin.

"Want to dance?" he asked, his eyes so hypnotizing, she was almost compelled to say yes.

Instead, she stood her ground, remembering that she never wanted to speak to Mr. Physical again. "No."

His expression didn't change, and she swallowed. "Felicity, after the way you left things last time, I think this is the least you could do."

Oh, the audacity of him! She couldn't believe he'd really just told her that. She didn't owe him a damn thing. How affected he was after the last time they'd interacted was his own damn fault. She wasn't going to apologize for thinking better of herself than just some sexual outlet. But, if him getting a dance out of her is what it took for him to leave her alone for good, then she'd do it.

"Fine," she agreed, walking into the center of the room where couples were holding each other close.

Oliver was right behind her, and when she turned around, she nearly crashed into his chest. He steadied her with his hands on her elbows, waiting until she caught her balance before sliding his hands away. One held her right hand, while the other rested high on her waist. Well, at least she wouldn't have to knee him in the groin for getting grabby.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she let him take the lead, purposefully looking away. Her eyes fell on Ray, who stood in place halfway to where she'd just been standing. He watched her with careful eyes, and she looked up at Oliver to avoid looking at him. Oliver's eyes were already on her, studying her, paying such close attention to every little detail.

"You look stunning tonight, Felicity," he told her, his eyes trailing down the rest of her body.

She kept her face neutral, though his compliment made up for any last doubt she'd had about wearing it before. "Thanks."

He spun her around, and on her way back to him, he pulled her closer, forcing her to look up at him. His gaze was dark, his jaw locked tightly. She knew that look already. He was either jealous or aroused. And judging by how strange he was, he was probably a little bit of both. His voice was rough when he spoke, sending chills down her spine.

"Did you come here with him?"

She blinked, debating whether or not to tell him the truth. Then, another realization struck her. "You just don't get it, do you?"

He stared at her, his voice hard. "Explain it to me."

"I don't like you," she lied, but managed to keep her voice steady.

He snorted, seeing right through her bullshit. "After what happened in my office a few days ago, I find that very hard to believe."

"That shouldn't have happened," she said, hating how he could get to her so easily.

"Then why did it? Why were you all too willing to have me pressed against you like that? Your legs were around my waist, Felicity, and I know you wanted it. I know it from the way you moaned when I applied pressure to just the right places," he started, and she swallowed, her skin overheating. "I know it from the way you rubbed into me, encouraging me to continue. And I know it from the way you looked at me, just so surprised by how I was making you feel."

Shaking her head, she broke eye contact with him. "I was confused-"

"No, you were scared," he interrupted, clutching her hand tighter. "You were afraid because of how sure you were. You were afraid because of the fact that you weren't confused at all. You knew what you wanted, and you couldn't handle it."

"You think you know me, but you don't," she responded, refusing to believe she'd felt the way he'd described. "I was confused, and I pushed you away, because I came to my senses. I realized what was happening, and I left while I still had some dignity."

"You left, and went straight to Ray I see," he muttered, hatred lacing his words.

A rush of anger flowed through her at his jealousy. "I didn't go straight to anyone. I was fine on my own."

"Why do you like him, Felicity?" he asked, brows knit together in both confusion and frustration. "That guy is a dick. He told me tonight that I was going to fail at running my company, and then, he had the nerve to tell me to back off from you."

Felicity was even more pissed now, but she'd worry about Ray's sudden possessiveness in a minute. "Oh, but it's okay when  _you_  say things like that?"

"Yes, because you  _are_  mine, Felicity," he repeated, even more sure sounding than the times before.

"Yeah, I'm yours until you've taken what you've wanted, and  _then_  Ray can have me," she bit out, pushing down the urge to cry at how hurt she truly was that Oliver saw her as nothing more than a physical opportunity.

He surprised her when he pulled her as close as he could get her, his eyes boring down into hers with that normal possessiveness, and another substance that was making her question everything. "Felicity, I'd let him take this damn company before I let him take you."

Her lips parted, his eyes dropping down to them. She had no idea how to react. She'd been wrong. Oliver did want her in a sexual way, but this want extended much further than that. His company was the most important thing to him - or so she had thought. But apparently, he'd give it up for her. He'd give away a multi-billion dollar company without a second of hesitation for her, and she could only register that as one thing.

Love.

Her entire body froze at the realization, and he only continued to gaze deep into her eyes, peering through her entirely. Three weeks seemed like a short amount of time to feel something that strongly, but there was just no other explanation for it. She wasn't going to fight this anymore. She wasn't going to run from it, because she deserved to give this a shot.

Felicity let go of his hand, moving it so that it was resting on her other hip, and locked her wrists around his neck. His eyes held a question in them, but he remained quiet. They swayed for a bit, before she covered his hands with her own, sliding them further down her body. His big hands paused over the start of the curve of her ass, and she saw his eyes flash.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice breathy.

She locked eyes with him, replacing her hands around his neck. "I'm showing him that I'm not available. Is that okay?"

He swallowed, his eyes darkening beyond shades she'd even seen before as he nodded fast. "Yes," he answered. "Does this mean that we're... something?"

"Is that what you want?" she asked, needing to make sure she hadn't just read everything completely wrong.

He gripped her hips tighter, making sure he had her full attention before answering. "That's all I've ever wanted since the moment we spoke. Fuck, I can't... You hating me is completely intolerable, okay?"

He bent his head forward, burying his nose into her hair. His grasp on her was more desperate than sexual, as if he needed to make sure that this was really happening. She couldn't believe how wrong she'd been about him. He'd wanted so much more than she ever could have thought, and she wanted it, too.

"I didn't really hate you as much as I made it seem," she whispered. "You just... frustrated me."

He pulled back to look at her, so vulnerable now. "I know you wanted me to stay away, but I couldn't. Not seeing you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Do you know how difficult it was for me to sit in my office, knowing that I could be sitting in yours,  _with you,_  within the span of two minutes?"

Everything was coming out now, and there just wasn't any stopping it. What's worse is that neither of them actually wanted to.

"I didn't like the days where I didn't see you," she admitted, and he looked relieved. "One time, I actually left my office, hoping I'd run into you. My days were longer without your infuriating visits, and as much as you pissed me off, I missed you."

She expected a smile out of him at that, but he only clenched his jaw, his eyes staring at her intensely. "I lose all sense of rationality when it comes to you, Felicity."

She swallowed, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but there. She'd almost forgotten that they were in a room full of Starling City's elite, and Oliver's mom was probably mingling around somewhere. Plus, Felicity was sure Ray's gaze was still on them, and that was just strange. She looked up at Oliver, frowning.

"I think I should be heading home now. A lot has happened tonight, and I really don't want to be here anymore."

He looked rushed, his eyes flickering with ideas. "Let me give you a ride," he offered. "I don't want to say goodbye just yet."

She flushed, his words shooting her straight through the heart. "But I drove my car here."

He looked up, probably cursing himself for not thinking of that. She didn't want to say goodbye to him either. She just couldn't stay in that place for any longer before she lost her mind. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she brushed his arm with her hand.

"There's a diner I like to go to sometimes. We could go grab a burger there," she suggested, remembering that not everyone was always up for greasy food in the middle of the night. "I mean, if you wan-"

He took her hand in his before she could even finish, leading her out of the door without so much as a glance back. She was grinning so wide, but she didn't care who saw it. She hadn't promised him anything, and he wasn't expecting anything. He only wanted to be with her, getting to know her in the way she hadn't allowed back when she thought he was the devil himself.

And she was looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews make me happy!


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a lot of this story written out recently, so hopefully my updates come faster! Thank you so much for the fabulous reviews from the last chapter!

Felicity had to keep glancing behind her, because she was pretty sure the last five minutes had all been a dream. There was no way in the world that she'd danced with Oliver Queen, gotten him to confess that he cared about her more than she could ever imagine possible, and have him completely ditch an event that everyone was expecting him to attend, just to go eat greasy food with her.

It just didn't make sense, right?

But then there he was, every single time she looked over her shoulder, his eyes full of an unwavering hope.

When they got down to the parking lot, Felicity paused, waiting to see what the plan would be. She didn't want to take separate cars, and he didn't know where the diner was. Before she could even address the situation, he was pulling out his keys, offering them to her. She stared down at the jangling metal objects, her lips parted in surprise.

"What? You don't want to drive?" he asked, clearly not understanding why she was in a state of shock.

"You want me to drive your car?" she drawled, just because she needed him to state it so that she knew she wasn't jumping to conclusions here.

He smirked. "Yeah, I thought that was kind of obvious." When her expression remained the same, he sighed. "Felicity, is there something wrong with you driving my car?"

"Um, have you seen your car? It's worth more than my entire apartment complex," she exaggerated, but it made him laugh.

"Well, I've seen  _your_  car, and there's no way I'm going to fit inside of it," he told her, and she knew he was being honest. Her car was really tiny, and definitely not designed to fit a man of his build - not that she'd noticed or anything. "It's too dark for me to try and trail behind you, so I think this is our only option."

She groaned, hating that he was right. "Fine, but if anything happens, I'm holding you accountable," she warned, taking the keys from his hand and ignoring the grin of satisfaction that grew on his face.

Once she was in the front seat, she checked the mirrors, adjusting them to benefit her height. Her hands searched for the levers on the side of the seats, since Oliver drove with his way too far back. The entire time she was making herself comfortable in his car, he was watching her, his eyes staring so intently that she had to look his way.

"What?" she asked, freezing.

He shook his head, but spoke anyways. "I've never had anyone else drive my car besides me," he confessed. "I never thought I'd be okay with it, but you look good there."

"I look good here?" she repeated, scoffing to hide her blush.

He smiled, probably catching how nervous he got her. "Yes, and I'd prove it to you, but I'm really hungry."

"Right," she murmured, putting the car into drive before her mind got snagged on the idea of what him proving it to her could mean.

The diner wasn't too far from Queen Consolidated, which she was grateful for. Oliver, thankfully, kept his eyes on the road, avoiding staring at her like he tended to do. He must have known that would make her fidget and probably wreck the car, because that was how big of a distraction he was for her. When they stopped at a red light, she flipped on the radio.

She was pleasantly surprised to hear that the station he'd had it on was jazz, since it was one of her favorite music genres, and it really set the mood between them. Not that the mood needed to be set, they were on their way to eat oleaginous food, after all. She only meant that it added to the atmosphere being alone with him in his car had created.

By the time she was done parking, he was chuckling at the relieved breath she let out, moving to open her door for her. She waited for him to come around the car, stepping out and nearly bumping into him because he hadn't moved back like she'd expected him to. He caught her by her elbows, steadying her with his large hands. She looked up at him, swallowing.

God, had he always been this tall?

He smirked, and goddamn it, it was sexy as hell. Then, he was pulling away, letting her take the lead to the diner. With more confidence than she thought she had in her, she strode across the street and up to the diner, thanking Oliver when he opened that door for her as well. They picked a small booth in the corner, and a waitress quickly came to give them their menus.

Surprisingly, there weren't many people in there. Maybe that had to do with the fact that it was already dark outside. The only people in there were older couples, who were drinking way too much caffeine and giving them strange looks because they were dressed like they belonged inside a mansion, not a small diner in the middle of the Glades.

"How often do you come here?" Oliver asked, his eyes soft.

She shrugged. "Every now and then. Normally, I come here with Tommy. We can totally pig out on some burgers," she admitted, making him chuckle.

"I still find it a little weird that you're so close with him," Oliver said, avoiding her gaze. "It bothered me the night I found out, but now I'm starting to think it's cool. There's something nice about the fact that all of my friends already love you. It's kind of like I have their approval."

She fought the smile that threatened to overtake her face, playing it cool. "Have their approval for what?"

He opened his mouth, but the sudden intrusion of a waitress shattered the moment. Felicity groaned internally, and by the look on Oliver's face, he was doing the same thing. The waitress was just doing her job though, and it was really hard to be mad at her when she was smiling so brightly at the two of them.

"You guys getting back from a wedding or something?" she asked, popping her gum.

Oliver shook his head. "No, just a fundraiser-type thingy," he explained, making Felicity snort at his struggle with words. "The food there wasn't too great, so we decided to come here."

"You made the right choice then," the waitress confirmed, pulling out a small notepad. "You know what you want to drink?"

Oliver's eyes skimmed the menu quickly, before looking Felicity's way. "Water's fine with me," he told the waitress.

She nodded, looking expectantly at Felicity. "I'll take a water, too. Thank you."

"No problem," the lady said, shuffling away.

Oliver focused his attention back on her, his eyes glinting under the florescent lights. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, of course," she answered, feeling her nerves jump.

"Did you hate me even before the funding cuts?" he questioned, his words holding nothing more than curiosity.

She thought about it, deciding to be completely honest with him. "I kind of already had an opinion of you, yes. You weren't exactly someone I respected or wanted to get to know."

He listened to what she said, nodding. "I know. I could tell from the looks you would give me at the meetings."

"You noticed me at the meetings?" she asked, surprised that he even had a clue who she was before their fight a few weeks ago.

He smiled. "Felicity, I noticed you the moment you walked into the conference room about a year ago. I remember wanting to introduce myself, but your eyes warned me to stay the hell away." He chuckled at the memory, and she thought back on what he was recalling. "I had no idea if you were a department head, or one of the board members. You just had this bubble of importance around you, and I'll admit, even I was intimidated."

"You do realize what your words are doing to my ego right now, don't you?" she questioned, and he ducked his head in a laugh that made his eyes shine.

"I can feed your ego all night, if you want," he offered, his words striking her core.

She knew he probably didn't mean it as she had taken it, but the intense look in his eyes didn't really support her claim. The waitress was coming back out with their drinks before she could get to the bottom of his words, and they ordered their food quickly, being left alone again to keep talking in a way that Felicity hadn't expected to enjoy so much.

They talked the entire time, losing track of the world around them. Oliver loved the burgers - making her promise to give him the address to the place - and Felicity was only reminded of why she kept returning there. It was nice to have a conversation with him where there was no fighting or thick tension. She liked not having the urge to slap her hand across his face. Now that she knew he was only doing what was best for his company, she held no resentment towards him whatsoever.

Based off of how much he was smiling, he'd been enjoying the night just as much as she had. Felicity was sure they would have stayed there all night, had the waitress not come by their table to tell them that they couldn't stay open any longer. It was only then that they realized they were the only customers left inside the diner.

He'd driven them back to Queen Consolidated, since she refused to drive his car again without a good reason. He'd laughed at her, starting his car, and driving off with such normality, she was jealous of it. It was almost as if he didn't worry about wrecking such an expensive piece of machinery.

When they'd gotten back to the parking lot, Felicity was relieved to see that nearly all of the guests were gone, the event concluded. Felicity felt weird to be standing outside her job with her boss, who'd admitted to liking her more than she was ready for. Oliver was just staring at her, his lips tipped upwards just enough for her to know that he was happy.

They stared at each other, no words being said. Her back was against his car, while he stood right beside her, eyes focusing in and out on her. She waited for him to say something, because clearly there was a reason he wasn't rushing her off to her car.

Felicity wondered if he was going to kiss her.

With that thought, it was hard to keep more from coming. Felicity hated her crazy brain that put images of him kissing her just like he had in his office earlier that week into her head. Those kisses had made her toes curl, and she'd been plagued by their memory nearly every second since.

"So, what was tonight? A date?" she asked, refusing to cringe at her bluntness.

Oliver just smirked, moving in closer to her. "No," he answered, and her heart dropped. "When we go out on a date, you'll know."

Her heart now thumping extra hard, she folded her lips, nodding in understanding. He had her pressed into his very expensive automobile, and his face only kept getting closer. She was right to not trust herself to speak, because once she did, she wanted to shoot herself.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she whispered, making his eyes flash into hers.

A muscle in his jaw ticked, and her eyes zoned in on it. "Do you want me to?"

Her mouth was dry at this point, so all she could do was nod and utter a small, "Yes."

His eyes darkened, and he raised a hand to frame her face. She leaned into his touch, completely mesmerized by him. He stared at her lips for a few seconds, before his thumb extended outwards, stroking over the bottom one softly. Her breath caught, but all he did was stand there, his body only a couple inches away from hers, his finger running over her lip with more sensuality than she ever thought possible.

"I'm going to spend a lot of time kissing you, Felicity Smoak," he promised, stealing her breath away yet again. He suddenly pulled away from her, confusion probably masking her face. "Just not tonight."

"What?" she breathed, feeling limbless as he further distanced himself from her.

"Tonight was amazing," he began, looking at her so that she could tell he was being earnest. "Now that I know you no longer want to bite my head off, I don't want to rush anything. Soon, I'll be asking you out on a date. Whatever you decide... Well, we'll just take things from there."

Despite how touched she was, she was a woman after all. It was completely normal that if kissing Oliver Queen was an option for her, then she wanted to be doing it. There was a hell of a lot more that she'd like to be doing with him, so kissing wasn't really asking for a lot, right?

"There's nothing wrong with breaking the rules a little," she tempted, her confidence rising the more out of control he seemed to become.

He shook his head, trying to smirk, but failing when she cornered him against his car. "Felicity, I don't-" That possessive look he tended to wear around her overcame his features without warning, sending chills down her spine. "If I kiss you right now, I won't stop there," he stated, and she knew he wasn't kidding.

"Maybe I don't want you to stop there," she murmured, and he was suddenly unhinged.

His hands grasped her wrists, pulling her to him and completely flipping their positions. Her back hit the door of his car, her head tilting up into the glass of his window. He stared at her, eyes dark with lust. His body was now entirely pressed into hers, and she just  _loved_  the feeling of it. His growl of curses was practically inaudible, yet it spiked her temperature by a million degrees.

"How about this," he propositioned, his voice straining to remain steady. "If you promise you won't let me get carried away, I'll kiss you."

She instantly nodded, licking her lips in anticipation. He mimicked her nod, leaning his head in towards her. His lips hovered over hers, and they just remained in that moment for a few seconds, eyes locked in a silent communication. Then, that space between their faces was diminished, and his lips were devouring hers.

Once again, there was nothing slow about this kiss. He mauled her lips with his own, surely tasting away all of her lipstick and making her lips swell from his thoroughness. She moaned when he slid his tongue into her mouth, exploring carelessly and tilting her head up when he wanted more. Her hands dug into his short hair, liking that he'd let it grow out a little longer so that she'd have something to tug on.

His teeth were suddenly in the mix, nipping and snapping at her lips in a way she'd never thought she'd find arousing. She was completely lost in him, left to boggle over the fact that he was way too good at this. She'd never been kissed like this before, and she never wanted anyone but him to ever kiss her like it again. She knew she said that she'd stop him, but she couldn't.

She didn't want to.

The sound of a throat clearing made him pull away and her jump in surprise, which only resulted in her thumping her head against the glass. Oliver's head immediately swiveled back to her, his hand cupping the back of her head in worry. She fought off her grimace, trying to be more concerned for whoever the hell had just caught them making out like teenagers in the middle of a parking lot.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice so deep, she nearly tackled him onto the tar right then and there.

But instead, she nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the person who'd intruded on them. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of the person, and she saw Oliver follow her startled gaze. His body stiffened when he saw who she was looking at, his hand dropping from the back of her head to fall limply at his side.

"Mom," he acknowledged, and the woman smirked.

Oh, now Felicity knew who he got it from. It didn't look nearly as hot as when Oliver did it, but Felicity didn't need to question why that was.

"Oliver, I assume this is why you left the gala in such a hurry," she inferred, spot on.

He swallowed, nodding in a shameful manner, though Felicity knew if given the chance, he would do it again. "Yes, I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize," she interrupted. "I understand that you felt the need to scamper off with... I'm sorry, who are you?"

Felicity flushed. "Felicity Smoak. I'm head of the IT Department."

Moira nodded with her eyes full of wisdom. "Yes, Walter's spoke of you several times before. You must be the woman my son has been moping over recently. Well, I'm glad to see you two have finally worked things out."

Now, it was Oliver who was flushing, and Felicity stood stunned. "Mom, I think you've shared enough," he decided, taking Felicity's hand, and walking her over to her car without a glance back.

Felicity would have felt bad about leaving the conversation so abruptly, had it not been so painfully awkward for her. Oliver seemed to be in the same condition as her, seeing as his face held onto that flush, and he wouldn't meet her eyes. When she reached her car, she unlocked it, with him opening it for her.

"Thank you," she said, and he bowed his head in response. Before he could leave, she grabbed his hand, finally drawing his eyes back to hers. "Tonight was great, Oliver."

"Did you ever expect to actually have a good time with me?" he joked, but his eyes were serious.

"Yes," she answered honestly, and he swallowed thickly. "I'd kiss you again, but I'm pretty sure your mom is still watching us."

"Probably," he agreed, making her laugh. "I'll see you on Monday, right?"

"You can count on it," she replied, smiling at him.

He beamed right back. "I will."

Then she was getting into her car, and he was heading towards his, and despite her horrifying run in with Moira Queen, Felicity could not get that damn smile to leave her face.

* * *

Oliver Queen had no clue what he did to deserve the outcome of last night, but he wasn't going to question it. He'd gone into the gala, expecting a night of bottomless scotch and boring conversation. Instead, he got a good meal with the woman of his dreams. Felicity had actually opened up to him, letting him see the person that he was so heavily drawn to.

He'd decided in the car that he wasn't going to kiss her, but only because he wanted to wait until they'd had a real meal before doing it. However, Felicity had insisted, and he didn't have the willpower to deny her of it. Especially since he'd wanted her lips on his since the moment he caught her chewing on her red pen in one of the first conference meetings.

Though he'd made her promise to stop him before he got carried away, he secretly knew that she wouldn't. He had been almost fearful of what would happen if they weren't stopped, and were left alone for too long. His mom interrupting them while his tongue was still stuffed halfway down her throat wasn't exactly the way he wanted them to cool down though.

Thankfully, after Oliver had returned from walking Felicity to her car, his mom had already gone home. He didn't even want to hear anything from her, since he knew most of it would be prying. That was just who she was, and the fact that a woman had actually caught the undivided attention of her only son definitely called for some hardcore prying.

He knew he couldn't avoid it forever. That's why he was gritting his jaw now, trying to keep his calm while his mother poked at him for information in the least subtle way possible. It was early Sunday morning, so him, Thea, Walter, and his mom were all gathered around the table for brunch. Though Oliver had a place of his own, he still dropped by on occasional Sundays for brunch.

He was tempted to cancel after the compromising position his mom had caught him in last night, but he knew it would be obvious, and he wasn't one to run away from his problems. So, he'd shown up anyways, determined to not address the situation of last night unless he reached a point where he knew it needed to be spoken about.

He was now at that point.

"So, Mom said you disappeared last night," Thea said, looking at Oliver with a knowing glint in her eyes. "Where'd you go?"

Oliver remained neutral, locked in a staring match with his mom. "I had more dire things come up," he answered, daring his mom to challenge that statement.

"And it seemed like you handled them in a timely manner," Moira commented, casually sipping from her mimosa.

"I didn't handle it to the best of my ability due to a very startling interruption," he responded, knowing that the other two people at the table were starting to decipher their hidden meanings.

Moira scoffed. "You were out in the open, Oliver. What was I supposed to do? Sneak past you?"

Okay, now there was no more walking around it.

"Wait, what did you catch Oliver doing?" Thea questioned, probably reveling in the fact that the attention was not focused on her this morning.

"Thea-" Oliver started, his tone warning.

"Your brother," Moira interrupted, "was kissing a woman in the parking lot."

Thea's eyes flashed, and she looked right at Oliver. "Felicity?"

"Felicity Smoak?" Walter asked, that being the first time he'd involved himself in that conversation.

"Even Walter knows you're in love with her?!" Thea exclaimed, nearly shaking with barely contained excitement.

" _In love with her?_ " Walter repeated, his expression confused. "The last time I knew of them even interacting, she hated you, Oliver. You didn't seem too fond of her either, if I remember correctly. What has happened since then?"

"I'm not doing this with you guys," Oliver refused, getting three disappointed faces in return. "It's no one's business but mine and Felicity's."

"So it was Felicity!" Thea cheered, and Moira and Walter hid their grins behind their napkins.

Oliver stared at them, unsure how to react. He knew that he didn't make an effort with women, but he would have never guessed that the first time he was drawn to one as intensely as he was to Felicity, it would cause such a reaction from his family. Honestly, he didn't know whether to be happy for their unspoken support, or frustrated by their nosiness.

"Okay, fine," Oliver caved, ignoring the gleeful expressions his family wore. "Mom did catch me kissing Felicity last night. We left the gala to grab a burger, and we really connected. When I was walking her back to her car, we shared a kiss that was interrupted by Mom."

"Mom!" Thea scolded, and Moira frowned.

"Sweetie, if I'd had known it was the girl he's been completely taken by, I would have never intruded. Believe me on that."

Oliver stood up, having had enough of the spotlight on his love life for the year. They all looked at him, surprised by his actions. He just smiled politely, setting his napkin down onto his plate.

"I should get going," he decided, not leaving them room to argue. "I'll see you guys soon."

"Do you have plans with Felicity?" Thea asked, making Oliver pause in his exit to look at her.

"No, Speedy, I don't have plans with Felicity. I'll be seeing her at work tomorrow though."

"You do realize how big of a deal this is, right?" she pressed.

Oliver smiled.

Yes, he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews make me happy! :)


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the reviews from the last chapter! They always make my day! :)

Felicity wasn't going to lie. She'd worn the grey skirt that she knew drove Oliver absolutely insane, only because she could practically see the fire strike his eyes every time he saw her with it on.

It was Monday, and the last time she'd seen him, his tongue had been in her mouth. He'd basically guaranteed that she would be seeing him today, and she'd been looking forward to it ever since. Sara had known something was up when she'd called Felicity on Sunday, but Felicity didn't want to start giving the scoop on her relationship with Oliver until there was actually a relationship to give the scoop on.

In all honesty, the thought of him taking her out was eating her up inside. She was nervous, and excited, and overwhelmed because she'd never felt this sort of attraction for another person in her entire life. Everything she's ever felt towards Oliver Queen has been strong, even if it wasn't always in a positive way.

Sighing, Felicity attempted to focus back on her work, only to start wondering when Oliver was going to waltz in and notice the skirt she'd worn just for him moments later. It didn't take much longer after that thought before there was a soft knock at her door. Oliver was stepping inside of her office not even a second later, his eyes brightening when they locked with hers. He shut the door behind him, a small smile on his face.

"Felicity, it's good to see you," he said, taking a seat in one of her chairs.

She didn't know what to say, but mainly because she hadn't been prepared for what to do when she actually did see him again. "Oliver, I... It's good to see you, too."

If he sensed her nervous state, he didn't say anything. "I couldn't help but think back on our conversation from Friday," he began, his eyes intense. "There was something that I promised I'd ask you."

Her mouth went dry. "Yeah, I think I remember something like that."

He leaned forward. "Well, I guess I should probably ask it then," he murmured, the beginnings of a smile gracing his lips. "Felicity Smoak, would you give the address to that diner we ate at? The food was truly delicious."

She wanted to smack him. He was smirking at her with barely contained laughter, and she'd been on the edge of her seat in hopes of him asking her out just a second ago. He knew that, too. He was messing with her, and she had no idea why. Had he not worked super hard to get her to the point where he was practically guaranteed a yes?

His eyes shone with laughter, and she had to work really hard that time to not join him there.

"You're an ass, you know that?" she asked, and he sobered up some.

"This wouldn't be the first time you've called me that in your office," he informed her.

She smiled, thinking back on the circumstances the time before. "Well, maybe you really were being an ass. Did you ever consider that?"

He shook his head. "I wasn't being an ass. You just thought I was."

"Oh yeah?" she prompted, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Then what exactly were you being?"

He shrugged, grinning with no shame whatsoever. "A flirt, hopefully."

"What?" she faked gasped. " _You_? _A flirt_? I didn't think that was possible!"

This time, she earned the full laughter, and she prided herself on that. She joined in on his humor for a few minutes, and they just basked in the moment. Felicity waited for him to say more - or to just ask her the goddamn question that was driving her mad - but he remained quiet. She would have thought that sitting across from him with no words being exchanged would be awkward, but it was surprisingly comforting.

"I have a conference call in ten minutes," he finally said, and she nodded regretfully. "Felicity, I'll come back before the day is over."

"Good," she replied, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "There's more we need to discuss, I think."

He smirked. "Once again, Felicity Smoak, you think correctly."

She grinned wide at his comment, watching as he left her office. She sat there for minutes, just reliving the last few minutes. It was only when she decided to go back to work that she realized he hadn't seen what she was wearing. If he hadn't assured her he'd be back, she probably would have marched right up to his office to continue what they started and _definitely_ needed to finish.

* * *

Felicity stared at her clock, deciding to call it a night. She'd stayed at the office a lot longer than usual, since Oliver had promised a second visit. Now, it was nearing seven o'clock, and she was starving. Shutting off her computer, she began to gather her things together. There was a sudden knock on her door, and she knew instantly that it was Oliver.

"You better have a good reason for being so late," she told him, hearing her door open.

His chuckle sounded from a couple feet behind her, and he made his way into her line of vision. "I lost track of time. Once it hit 6:00, I just assumed you'd go home. Then, I realized it was you, and I came down here as fast as I could."

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured, not giving into him that easily this time.

"Felicity," he began, placing his hand on top of hers, "you're not mad at me, are you?"

She looked up at him and his warm eyes, and knew that she wasn't. He was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. It was understandable if he got sidetracked and forgot about stopping by. He stilled showed up, and that was all that mattered.

"No, I'm not mad," she answered, giving him a reassuring smile. "You're busy. I get it."

He smirked, invading her space some. "I am never too busy for you, okay? If I could cancel all of my meetings and just spend the day hanging out with you in here, then I would. There are just some moments where you need to work a little harder to be able to do that kind of stuff."

She cocked her head at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I had a ton of work I needed to get done in preparation for the budget cuts," he explained, relaxing when she didn't flare up at the mention of the cuts. "If I don't get it done by Friday, then it'll be a huge setback for the company. I knew I was going to need my Friday night free though, so I was working extra hard tonight to get it all done. Now, I know I'll have it done by Thursday."

She stared at him, already knowing the answer to her question, but wanting to ask it anyways. "Why do you need to have Friday night free?"

He smiled, eyes still locked with hers. "I was hoping you'd be free as well, and we can go on that first date I promised you," he said, and his eyes seemed to take in her attire for the first time, his gaze darkening. "Felicity-"

She chilled at his lowered tone, interrupting him. "I'm free on Friday night," she informed him, worried that she'd give in to him right then and there.

His eyes snapped back up to her face, and he backed away a lot. "Good. How about I pick you up at 6:00?"

She nodded, feeling her heart race. "I'll text you my address."

His smile grew, and she watched as he stood just outside her office, holding her door open for her. She remembered the night they spoke for the first time, and how he'd practically begged her to let him walk her to her car. Now, she more than welcomed the gesture, even swooning internally. She walked in front of him, knowing that he was staring at her ass, but deciding that he deserved as much.

When they finally reached her car, she flushed at the thought of what they'd been doing the last time they were in a parking lot together. The look in his eyes told her that he was thinking the same thing, and she got into her car before she was tempted to continue from where they'd left off the last time. If things kept going this well between them, then they would be figuring that out in no time.

* * *

Oliver knew she would say yes, though nothing could really prepare him for the feeling he got when it actually occurred. He'd never really had much practice asking girls out. It was always an immediate yes to spending time with him that required no date at all. So, when it came to asking out the only woman he could ever imagine something more with, he was a nervous wreck.

Oliver needed information, and the only person he could turn to right now was his sister. Thea kept teasing him about their little make-out session in the parking lot, so going to her for help was really frustrating for him. Thea figured out that he needed the information because he was taking her out to dinner, and he hung up before she pestered him too much.

However, he did manage to get the information he wanted from her right before: the name of Felicity's favorite restaurant.

The moment Felicity agreed to go out with him, Oliver started planning the perfect evening. Yeah, it distracted him from work some, but all that mattered was that he got it all done in the end. Throughout each day, Oliver felt this urge to see her. That's why on Wednesday, he found himself outside her office, trying to ignore the questioning look in her assistant's eye.

He was about to knock, when her door opened. She was holding a file in her hands, staring down at it and not looking where she was going. Oliver tried not to laugh at the yelp of surprise she let out when she collided into his chest. He steadied her with his hands, and she looked up at him, flushing.

"Hey, uh, what are you doing here?" she asked, clearing her throat to shake off some of that embarrassment.

He straightened, letting her go once he realized people were starting to stare. "Oh, I was just coming here to discuss some business ideas," he responded, and she tilted her head to the side in the most adorable way ever.

"Really? Business ideas?"

He folded his lips, nodding. "Yes, Ms. Smoak. But if you're too busy, I can come back another time."

She eyed him for a second longer, before conceding. "Let me just drop this off at Lisa's office," she told him, gesturing towards the back of the floor. "You can wait in mine so that we can discuss these... 'business ideas'."

Her eyes glinted when she said those last two words, and he felt his heart start to race. How was it possible for someone to be as breathtakingly perfect as her? Oliver didn't know, and he definitely didn't want to question it.

He just nodded, entering her office and shutting the door closed behind him. The last time he'd been alone in her office, she'd nearly bitten his head off. Now, she was willingly inviting him inside, completely trusting him to be by himself in a place so clearly private to her. He smiled at the growth their relationship had endured, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

It only took her a couple minutes to return, and when she did, she was smiling bright. She took her seat in her chair, swiveling around to face him. She was waiting for him to speak first, and he remembered that it was him who'd come into her office in the first place.

"How are you today?" he asked, and she laughed a little.

"There aren't any business ideas you need to discuss, are there?" she asked.

He looked at her, cracking. "No, but I didn't want Barry to suspect anything."

She scoffed. "He caught you standing between my legs with your hands on my ass," she reminded him. "Barry is far past suspecting something is going on between us."

"Yeah, well he doesn't know if that was just a sexual thing, or something more," Oliver pointed out, knowing discussion of dinner plans would confirm something more if Barry were to overhear.

She got a panicked look in her eyes, and looked down at her keyboard. "And which one is it for you?"

Furrowing his brows, he stared at her. "I thought that was clear. This is something more for me Felicity. It always has been." He swallowed, his demeanor taking a blow as a thought came to him. "Do you not see this as something more? Do you-"

"No!" she interrupted, her eyes flashing. "I just wanted to make sure... This is something more for me, too. I promise."

Relieved, he smiled. "Okay, good."

There was a moment of silence, before she spoke up. "So, about this Friday-"

"It's bad luck to talk about a first date until it happens," he cut her off, and she gave him a crazy look.

"You're making this up, right?"

Yeah, he was. But he really didn't want to risk letting anything slip for what he had planned for them. And considering how nervous she made him, the chances of that happening were good.

"Maybe I just want to keep the suspense, you know? Let's pretend like I'm not about to blow you away in a couple of days," he suggested, and she flushed with stifled laughter.

"So you just want there to be this huge elephant in the room every moment we spend together until we reach Friday evening?" she prompted for clarification.

He nodded. "Yes, so just treat me like you would had I not asked you out for what will be the greatest date you've ever been on," he continued, just dying to hear her laugh again.

He got what he wanted.

"You want me to verbally abuse you and then make you smirk at something I said that just so happened to sound sexual?" she questioned, her tone and words joking.

"How about we cut out the verbal abuse, and just stick to you making sexual remarks?" he offered, and she rolled her eyes in a way that told him she was the opposite of annoyed by his presence.

"How about I keep the sexual remarks for Friday?" she countered, and he sucked in a breath.

"Well, it's going to be hard, but I can handle it," he agreed, purposefully phrasing his words in a way that he knew would make her laugh.

When she finally stopped laughing at him, she gave him a shake of the head. "You just don't stop, do you?"

He stood up, giving her that smirk that he knew made her breath catch, his eyes locked in on hers. "You'll soon appreciate that about me, Felicity," he promised, leaving her to figure out what he'd meant by that.

Judging by the glimpse of her flushed face he caught as he exited her office, she'd figured it out quickly.

* * *

It was 6:00, and Oliver was knocking at her door. Felicity couldn't believe it. He was exactly on time. She'd been ready an hour before, but she still hadn't expected him to come until around 6:30. It just made sense for someone as busy as Oliver Queen to have difficulty with punctuality. The fact that he was at her door exactly when he said he would be already gave him points in her book.

Tonight was a big deal for her. She was still getting used to not despising him, so this was really his opportunity to diminish any last awful feelings she still held towards him for good. Plus, the first date was what determined the relationship. If tonight didn't go well, then who's to say where they'd go from there?

Rushing over to her door, she checked herself in the mirror briefly. She wasn't going to lie, she looked good. Her hair was curled and flowing down her shoulders just the way she knew Sara told her turned heads. Then, she had on a red dress that was a little more modest than she was used to, but she wanted to look the part in case they were going to any fancy places. And to wrap it all up, she was wearing these red heels she'd bought a while back that she saved for special occasions only.

Yeah, she looked incredible.

Felicity approached her door, swinging it open with a smile. Oliver's profile was to her, but at the sound of her door opening, he swiftly turned to face her. His eyes scanned over her entire body, landing on her face at the end. Everything she needed to know was reflected in his eyes, and the blown away look he wore on his face.

"Felicity... Wow," he murmured, at a loss for words.

She smirked triumphantly, shutting her door, and locking up. She'd been looking at him as well, only reminded of how attractive he was. He'd changed his suit from earlier today to one she liked even more. It was all black, and the dress shirt really showed just how muscular he was underneath it all. God, she was really hoping she'd get to discover what he looked like without anything on.

"You look handsome, Oliver," she complimented, not nearly expressing how achingly attractive she found him.

If he'd heard her, he didn't show it. His eyes were still glued to her, tracing over each and every inch of her. She would have been blushing if she didn't love the attention so much. If it were coming from anyone else, she would have slapped them. When it came to him, her intentions had actually been for him to boggle over her.

They reached the parking lot, and she noticed his car right away. It was the nicest one there, and the image of it was already seared into her mind after her panic at having to drive it. Also, she'd been pressed up against it before, so it was a little hard to forget what it looked like. Oliver opened her door for her, then raced around to his side and hopped in.

He started it up, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road. She switched on the radio, that familiar sound of jazz filling the car. He relaxed a little, and she smiled over at him.

"I wouldn't take you for the kind of guy to like jazz," she admitted, remembering how the last time she'd discovered his liking for it, she'd been surprised.

He glanced over at her, letting out a small chuckle. "Yeah, well I found that it soothes me. I'm stressed most of the time, and sometimes it's good to unwind to this," he explained.

She nodded in understanding, folding her lips and shrugging. "There are better ways to unwind though."

Now that merited his full attention, and she was thankful they'd paused at a red light. "I can think of a few," he agreed, is voice heavier.

"Maybe you won't just have to think about them," she told him, knowing that she was getting to him.

"I feel like you're going to be a distraction for me more than usual tonight," he began, making her flush at his second time of admitting that she distracted him a lot. "And that's not a good thing considering I have a specific agenda I want to stick to in order to make tonight perfect."

She smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing a great job of that already." He exhaled in a relieved manner and she smirked, cocking her head at him. "But wasn't it you who was demanding I make sexual remarks only earlier this week?"

Again, he tensed, starting to drive when the light changed back to green. "I might have been getting in over my head. It turns out, I can't handle the sexual remarks when they're coming from you. They make me want to pull this car to the side of the road, and do things to you that you won't be able to name."

Okay, now it was her turn to tense up. God, did he have to be so freaking hot all the damn time? It just came naturally for him, making it all the more arousing for her. She pulled away from him, knowing the energy in the car needed to cool down before things got deliciously out of hand.

"Fair enough," she muttered, clearing her throat before looking out the window. "So, where are we headed?"

"It's a surprise," he answered, his tone telling her he was enjoying her curiosity too much.

She didn't press him, because she thought it was cute that he wanted her to be surprised. He obviously put a lot of thought into tonight which was more than she could say any of the other guys she'd dated had done. Even if tonight turned out to be a sham, she'd at least have the knowledge that he cared about the way things turned out.

There wasn't anymore small talk as they drove on, and there didn't need to be. They atmosphere between them was nice, requiring no words at all to maintain it. The music was more than enough to fill the silence, helping the drive go along faster. Felicity tried to figure out where they were headed the entire time, and when they entered the city, the only place she could think of was Queen Consolidated.

When she looked over at him, he was smiling, probably having figured out she knew the location of their date. They pulled into the parking lot of Queen Consolidated - only a couple cars remaining - and her suspicions were confirmed. Well, he definitely picked the last place she would have thought their date would be at.

"We're back at work," she stated, but her words sounded more like a question.

He smiled, nodding to her. "Yes, we are."

He got out of the car without another word on it, moving around to open her door as well. He offered his hand to help her step out, and she took it with a grateful smile. She was still confused as hell, but she kept telling herself that he had a reason behind this.

They began to make their way into the building, stopping at the elevator. Oliver pushed the button, the doors opening automatically. He gestured for her to step on before him, following after her. She waited for him to push the button indicating which floor to stop on, and was even more confused when he hit the one for the roof. And damn him, he was eating all of this up.

"You're confused," he observed without even looking at her.

"Yes," she agreed, thinking he'd supply an explanation.

He just smirked, waiting for the doors to open before responding. "You won't be."

Again, he allowed her to lead the way, even though she had no idea what she was doing. They were standing on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in Starling City for Pete's sake. She trusted him enough to not take the elevator back down and find her own way home. So, she began walking away from the elevator, looking back at him for guidance.

He was still smiling, and she wanted to know why already! He started walking towards the front of the roof, right in front of the big 'Q' that symbolized the company from anywhere in the city. It was only when Felicity caught up to him did she see things from his point of view, and her heart stopped.

A safe distance away from the edge - though there was a wall there anyways - a small table rested, the lights from the floor providing the perfect amount of illumination. There was food on the table, shielded by fancy tin coverings, and a white table cloth covering the table. A bottle of wine was there as well, and all Felicity could think was that this was perfect.

She didn't even know what her definition of a perfect date was until he'd given her this.

"I hope you aren't afraid of heights," he joked, pulling out her chair for her.

She shook her head at how absolutely incredible she was finding him at the moment. "I am, but not so much right now."

"Good," he murmured, taking the seat across from her. "If you feel uncomfortable at any time, just let me know."

She was seriously in awe right now. "How did you think of this? You... Just how?"

He chuckled, his eyes bright. "Well, I thought about taking you to a fancy restaurant somewhere in the city. Maybe one where they have a waiting list that you have to book months in advance to get your name on, and all I'd have to do was flash my name to get us a table." He paused, furrowing his brows. "But, I realized that you're better than that. I'm not trying to impress you with my money, Felicity. I just want you to have a nice time tonight."

Her throat tightened at his words, but she didn't throw herself across the table at him like she wanted to. "So, why the roof?"

He grinned at that, looking down. "I spent a lot of time trying to come up with where we could have our dinner at. I didn't want it to be somewhere too fancy, but I didn't want it to be somewhere too cheap either. I tried to think of a neutral ground, and this was the only place I could think of. I remembered how I used to come up here after my father died and I had to run this place..." he trailed off, pausing. "This was my safe place. I would come up here to clear my head, and the city looks incredible from here at night."

"Once I thought of it, I just knew that I wanted to share it with you. Believe it or not though, getting this table up here was the most challenging part of it all. Do you have any idea how heavy this thing is?" he questioned, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

This man couldn't be real. She refused to believe someone like him truly existed, and wanted her, nonetheless. It just didn't make sense. But, with the way he was looking at her, she knew it was true.

"I will admit," he began, drawing her away from her thoughts of skipping dinner altogether and just launching herself at him, "I asked Thea to find out what your favorite restaurant was."

He lifted up the coverings, setting them to the side. On the plate in front of her, was pasta from her favorite Italian place in town. Her stomach was quick to remind her that she hadn't eaten since noon, and she was suddenly starving. Oliver was smiling softly at her, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Oliver, I don't know what to say," she told him, and honestly, she didn't.

What do you say to the man who's exceeded in providing the most perfect night ever?

"Just tell me I ordered the right pasta," he pleaded, clearly still joking with her to ease up the mood again. "That menu is never-ending."

She laughed, nodding her head. "Yes, you ordered exactly what I would have."

"Good," he smiled, picking up the bottle of wine and removing the cork. "Now, I wasn't sure if you were a wine person, so I just grabbed one I thought you'd like. If you don't like it, then I came prepared with tea."

He gestured towards an ice chest she hadn't even noticed by his feet, and her curiosity peaked. "Why tea?"

"It's the only thing I've seen you drink before besides coffee," he answered, filling the two glasses with the red liquid. "The day I intruded in on your lunch at that sub place, that's what you chose to drink."

"Okay, you have to stop talking," she said, and his eyes flashed.

A crease appeared between his brows. "Oh, did I-"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," she interrupted. "It's just that every time you talk, I want to clear everything from this table and do things to you that I'm pretty sure would shame even Sara, which would really ruin this perfect evening you've planned."

He exhaled, straightening in his seat. "Okay, so why don't you do some of the talking now," he suggested, his skin flushed from her words.

"What do you want me to talk about?"

He thought about it for a second, a smile coming onto his face. "Tell me about the first day you saw me."

She scoffed, and he looked amused. "You really think that I remember that? It was years ago."

"Do you remember?" he pressed.

She rolled her eyes, grinning. "Fine, I do. But only because it's not everyday a billionaire comes down to the IT Department. Well, it used to not be everyday. Now, its become a regular thing for you."

"If I didn't find a certain someone in the IT Department so stunning, I probably wouldn't be down there as much as I am," he admitted, showing no shame for the only reason he goes down to that floor being to flirt with her. "But I think it's you who's supposed to be doing the talking here."

She laughed, looking down as she recalled that day. "Okay, well I remember everyone on the floor making a big deal about you showing up. The women dressed a little nicer, and the men stood a little taller. I wasn't promoted yet, so the old department head was the one who decided how we were to handle your appearance. We were instructed to not ask any questions, and to give you as much space as possible."

"Did you already hate me, Felicity?" he asked, his eyes glinting in a way that told her no matter what her answer was, it wasn't going to change his feelings towards her.

As much as she hated it, she knew she had to be honest. "Yes," she answered, staring down at the table. "I liked the way the company was run under Robert's control. Plus, everything I'd read about you before wasn't anything good. I didn't think you had it in you."

He nodded, taking her words in. "Honestly, I didn't think I had it in me either. My mom told me at the funeral that I needed to get my act together, because it was my job now to run that company. I didn't fight her on it, because I knew she was right. My family needed me to take responsibility, and I wasn't going to let them down."

"You surprised me," she confessed. "I think you surprised everyone."

"They're all waiting for me to fail," he murmured, and she saw just how much all of this was weighing on him.

Reaching across the table, she covered his hand with her own. His eyes snapped up to hers, pain evident in them. Her thumb swiped across the back of his hand, and he relaxed some in her touch. She knew she needed to take his mind off of that, so she continued on with her story.

"So, my boss instructed everyone to act as naturally as possible, and show you just how wonderful our department was," she said, watching as he smiled, realizing what she was trying to do. "I wasn't excited in the slightest to see you, because I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. When you stepped onto the floor that day, I remember thinking... _Damn, he's hot_."

Oliver laughed at that, hanging his head. She laughed as well, loving the way his sounded. She waited for him to come down from his laughing before continuing.

"You gave this whole speech about how you were going to turn the company around. You asked us to be patient with you, and promised that you'd be patient in return," she recalled, smiling now at the memory. "As much as it infuriated me to admit, I believed you. Something just told me that you were going to do as you promised."

He stared at her, his smile gone, but his warmth still there. "And do you still think that's true? Do you still think that I'm going to turn the company around? Because I'll be honest with you, Felicity, I have no idea what I'm doing. I feel like I don't have anyone on my side, and with our investments decreasing as quickly as they are, I don't know how the company is going to hold up much longer. If I fail, then-"

"Oliver, _I'm_ on your side," she interrupted. " _I_ believe in you, okay? It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. They want you to fail? Let them. They think you'll run this company into the ground? Fine, let them believe that. Just prove them wrong. I know that you can do this. I know it, and I'll be there to remind you when you forget."

He clenched his jaw, his eyes flickering with emotion. After a few brief nods, he relaxed his shoulders, running a palm over his face. She watched him unwind, knowing that he needed a few moments to just take it all in. And when he was done, he looked at her, that element she caught glimpses of every now and then apparent in his eyes, and she felt her own walls begin to crumble.

"Thank you," he murmured, those words holding so much more than just appreciation.

She nodded, running her thumb over his knuckles. "You're welcome."

They sat there and ate their food after that, their conversation light. When they finished, they watched the city from high above, the sight more beautiful than Felicity could have ever imagined.

And when they got into his car, Felicity smiled, because she knew that their night was far from being over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will earn this story's rating! Review and I'll try and get it up as soon as possible!


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind words and excitement for this chapter. Enjoy!

The date went perfectly.

Everything that could have gone right, did, and Oliver was thankful to every god out there who allowed that to be possible. Dinner was a little serious at one point, but once they got past that, there was no going back. The night was fun, easy. Felicity was better than he ever could have imagined, opening herself up to him in a way he didn't think would be possible.

He was the same way with her, telling her things that he never thought he'd share with anyone. With her, it was just too easy. It was too normal for him to open up and be perfectly honest with his emotions. Something told him that he could trust her. That no matter how personal he got tonight, she would keep it between them. And that just made his want for her increase to impossible measures.

Now, as he drove them back to her apartment complex, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Though they'd made hints at being together in a more intimate way, he wasn't sure how true those really were. Tonight had been perfect, and he didn't want to ruin that by advancing on her like he did with every other girl- because Felicity was far from any girl he's ever known, and he held her above everyone else. However, if she made it clear that she was very aware of what she wanted, then there was no way he was going to deprive her of that- or himself, for that matter.

Pulling into her complex, he parked his car in an empty slot. No matter which direction tonight went, he was going to walk her to her door. Getting out of his car, he came around the other side to meet her, and they began to walk up to her apartment together. He paid close attention to the route, knowing for certain that he would need to know this information for another time.

They finally reached her door, and she turned to face him, smiling softly. He leaned in without a moment of hesitation, wrapping his arms around her back, and holding her close. She stiffened, clearly surprised by his gesture, but sunk into his embrace after a few moments. He needed to hug her. He'd wanted to all night, and all of it had to do with how she'd handled his insecurities about the company.

Breaking away after what felt like hours, he looked down at her, locking his gaze with hers. "Tonight was everything I could have ever wanted, Felicity," he promised, taking her hands in his own. "Thank you."

He began to put some space between them, but she yanked him to her by their intertwined hands, getting a glint in her eye that he was starting to become all too familiar with. "Well, I'm sure you didn't get _everything_ you wanted."

He swallowed, his heart rate beginning to pick up speed. "Is there something you think I'm missing?"

She bit her lip subtly, nodding her head. "I could tell you what it is, but something tells me that it'll be more fun to show you."

Fuck, she was going to be the death of him. He just knew it.

"I always did trust your judgement, Felicity," he murmured, backing her into the door.

It was clear she got what he was saying, that she understood that he was giving in to her, and turned around to unlock her door. Oliver watched her now, knowing that there was no more trying to be a perfect gentleman and tame that beast that was just itching to erupt from inside of him and take her. If she wanted him, then she was going to get him.

He stepped even closer to her, knowing that she could feel his chest right against her back. The keys fumbled in her hands, and he smirked at her now nervous state. Slowly, he swept the hair from her neck, placing small kisses over the skin there. Her breathing was picking up, and as soon as she had that door open, she was pulling him inside by his tie, barricading herself in between him and her door.

He completely invaded her space, towering over her with eyes hooded low. She stared up at him, her lips parted, just waiting for him to make the first move. He wanted to. Damn it, he wanted to with everything in him. Yet, his eyes refused to close, his lips not corresponding with his brain to dip in just those extra couple inches or so. He knew the only thing holding him back was the sight of her, because she literally stole his breath away.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she whispered.

It was the second time she'd asked him that, and it had the exact same affect on him as it did the first time. He wanted to wrap himself in her and just let her overwhelm him. Holding back wasn't an option for him anymore.

"Yes," he answered, eating up the space between them with one swoop.

Her hand clutched at his suit, drawing him nearer. He nestled her lips between his own, just inhaling her in. Now that her legs weren't wrapped around his waist - not that he was complaining when that had been the case - he could frame her face, bringing himself even closer to her. With his hands cupping her cheeks, he felt her raise herself higher, desperate to meet his lips.

Oliver lowered himself a little, making it easier for her to kiss him back with just as much fervor. Her other hand was resting along his jaw, and ran a little ways up his neck. He swiped his tongue over her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Greedily, she accepted him, and the temperature in the room spiked at the feel of her tongue colliding with his.

He swept through every inch of her mouth, licking, tasting, _savoring_ her. He lost himself in their kiss, breathing long forgotten. She was holding onto him so tightly, small whimpers leaving her throat and vibrating through his lips with each insistent prod of his tongue. He never kissed this hard, never kissed this deeply. She was just so intoxicating, and something told him he'd never feel like he's had enough with her.

Panting, she pulled him off of her. Her eyes were darkened, and her lips were swollen. He stared down at them, trying to fight off the urge to reattach them to his own. Felicity rested her forehead against his, and their breaths mingled together for several stretched moments. Her chest was heaving, and he wanted to strip her from that dress so that he wouldn't be forced to view something so arousing through a layer of fabric.

"If I had known kissing you would feel like this, I would have done it weeks ago," she breathed, making him chuckle.

He lowered his hands to her waist, keeping her within his proximity. It was practically pointless though, seeing as not even a minute later, she stepped out of his space, heading in the opposite direction of him. Furrowing his brows, he looked after her, awaiting some form of instruction. Glancing over her shoulder at him, she let a slow smile overtake her features. His veins burned with want.

"Don't you want the tour?" she prompted, gesturing towards the expanse of her apartment.

God, he'd follow her anywhere.

Nodding his head, he stepped towards her, taking her outstretched hand. She smiled in success, reaching up to peck his lips. Well, he thought she'd meant to peck his lips. Instead, she suckled his bottom lip between her own, pulling back, and making him groan. She pulled away from her assault on him with her mouth, not even allowing him an opportunity to react.

"I just decided," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "that the tour should start in the bedroom."

She looked up at him, and he inhaled heavily. "I think you have all the brilliant ideas, and I should just do whatever you say from now on," he replied, making her eyes flash in both surprise and glee.

"I think that doing that will result in some very good things for you, Mr. Queen," she teased, and he suddenly scooped her off the ground and into his arms, slamming her into the nearest wall.

His arms stopped her from getting hurt, and the way that she was looking at him told him that she didn't mind what he'd just done in the slightest. It wasn't his fault, really. She had to have known what calling him by his last name would do to him, especially since he'd been fantasizing about taking her in his office from day one. If her wicked grin was any indication, things were going according to plan for her.

"Are we skipping the bedroom altogether?" she asked, looking down at him now that she had the height advantage in his arms.

"I have half a mind to," he growled, lowering his head so that he could nip at her neck.

Her nails raked through the small hairs at the nape of his neck, urging him on. "So then what's stopping you from taking me right now?"

He paused, asking himself the same question. What was keeping him from dropping his pants and sinking into her right then and there? The answer was clear to him, and he pulled away to look at her, making sure he had her full attention before he gave her his response.

"Because I want our first time to be special. I don't want it to be fast, or rough, or hard. I want to take my time with you, memorizing every inch of your body and making you ache because of how thorough I was," he said, and she actually shivered in his arms at the intensity of his words. "The first time I have you - and I say that because there will be plenty more times after, I can promise you that, Felicity - I want it to be right."

She stared at him, refusing to break the eye contact. Then, she spoke, her voice low. "Oliver, take me to bed."

His skin heated at her demand, and he wouldn't disobey that command if his life depended on it. Though he had no idea where her bedroom was, he figured the apartment wasn't that large, and he'd be able to find it without too much difficulty. The entire space was dark, but he liked that all he could really see was her, and that was only because of how close he held her to him.

So, with her still securely in his arms, he went off in search of her bedroom. Her lips attacked his jawline and neck, nipping teasing little kisses all over the place. Her tongue running over the light stubble on his chin had him staggering slightly, but he quickly recovered when he spotted her bed just a few more feet ahead. She'd left her curtains open, so the mattress was illuminated in moonlight, practically beckoning him.

If that wasn't a sign, then he didn't know what was.

He stepped into her room, and she slowly removed herself from his grasp. Her fingers twisted in his tie, tugging it until she was able to lift it over his head. He let her undress him, knowing that his turn was coming. She popped open the first couple buttons of his dress shirt, her tongue darting out to trace over the newly exposed skin on his neck.

"Relax," she murmured, and he realized his hands were clenched at his side as a means to hang onto his self control.

He let his shoulders sag a little, and allowed himself to just enjoy the feeling of her against him, her tongue and teeth and lips scraping over him with each button she got undone, which only resulted in more skin visible to her. She reached for his belt before she even got his shirt off, and he would have stopped her, had she made any move to undress him completely.

She'd only meant to untuck his shirt from his slacks, and once she did that, she continued to undo each little button. When she reached the last few, she sunk down to her knees, and he mentally cursed at the image she was putting into his head. Tonight was not about that, and he wanted that to be clear to her. Her lips suctioned over the skin on his abdomen, before she suddenly pulled back.

"What is it?" he hurriedly questioned, worried something was wrong.

She shook her head, actually choking back a chuckle. "Nothing. I mean, I knew that you were in good shape, but this..."

He laughed, and his ego soared through the roof at her appraisal. "Thanks."

She stood up, pushing his suit jacket and dress shirt from his body simultaneously. "I'm going to be spending a lot more time exploring that part of you," she promised, running her fingertips over the taut muscles of his torso and moaning against his neck.

"Well, I won't be going anywhere," he assured, wanting nothing more than for her to continue mapping out his body like he planned on doing with hers.

As far as he was concerned, he belonged to her now. She'd belonged to him from the moment he heard her speak out against him, and as much as she hated to admit it, he knew that she knew it was true.

Her hands went past his abs, and dipped into his slacks. He caught her wrists in his hands before she could touch him, knowing that if he felt her skin on his before he got a chance to touch her, he wouldn't be able to make their first time as memorable as he'd like to. Her expression told him she was confused, but he provided no explanation for her. Instead, he looked her in the eyes, placing her hands back at her side.

"Turn around," he instructed. "I need to get that dress off of you."

Wordlessly, she obliged, angling herself so that her back was to him. He smiled in victory, easily finding her zipper and pulling it down. Just as she'd done, he revealed her skin to him an inch at a time, lavishing her back with kisses along the way. When he'd pulled her zipper down to its limit, she shimmied out of the dress, now only wearing a black bra with the panties to match.

His mouth dried up in a second flat, and words were becoming a struggle for him to form. She was far from the first woman he'd seen in her underwear, and yet, nothing could have ever prepared him for what it would be like to see her like this. His entire body was calling out for her, needing to get lost between her legs and take her until his muscles cried out in pain.

"Say something," she whispered, and he snapped out of his lustful thoughts to see that she was now facing him again.

He swallowed, taking her all in and exhaling in appreciation for all of it that had brought him to this moment with her. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Felicity Smoak."

She flushed at his words, and he chased that flush down all the way to her breasts with his eyes. Leaning in, he reconnected their lips, letting his hands do the exploring for the time being. He dragged them along her sides, deciding to start at her breasts first. Gently, he palmed her through the lace, feeling her nipples harden under his touch.

With his eyes still closed, he trailed a line of kisses down from her mouth and to her bra, slipping his tongue underneath the fabric of it. She jumped when his warm mouth covered her right nipple, one hand flying into his hair. His hands automatically moved to the clasp on the back of her bra, shedding her of it as soon as possible. When it slid down her arms and onto the floor, he took full advantage of kissing every new inch of skin.

She moaned, arching into him. His hair was probably a mess from her ruffling her hands through it so hastily. He didn't care. All he cared about was the fact that the girl of his dreams was in his arms, and he was allowed to touch her however he'd like. Grinning at the realization of his freedom, he slipped his hands into her panties, cupping her from behind.

"Oliver, fuck!" she moaned, when he yanked her panties off of her and snaked his fingers through her folds.

She was so wet, and if he wasn't already as hard as a rock, then that definitely did the trick. He groaned into her neck, breathing in the scent of her hair to keep from going completely animalistic on her. Slowly, he moved his fingers, daring to slip one inside of her. In response, she dug her nails into his back, crying out his name. Continuing with that, he practically held her up as she turned to putty in his arms.

"Oliver..." she trailed off, his name coming from her lips in the form of a whine.

He brushed his lips over the shell of her ear, sliding another finger inside of her. "You're so wet for me, Felicity," he stated, and once he'd said it out loud, it made his pants feel awfully tighter.

"Please," she begged, silently asking him to stop with the teasing. "Oliver... I can't-"

"So then don't," he interrupted, quickening the pace of his fingers and feeling her practically turn to mush as she clung onto him. "Let go, Felicity. I promise, this will only be the first of many for you tonight."

It seemed that as soon as that sentence was said, she was giving in, her orgasm overtaking her. He felt her convulse around his fingers, and only continued moving at a leisurely pace, working her through it. When she'd finally caught her breath, she removed his hand from her, switching places with him. Now, it was his back to the bed, and it was her who was holding the newly determined mission.

Before he could even question her intentions, she was shoving him onto his back, the look in her eyes driving him mad. He fell back onto her bed, sitting up on his elbows. She hovered over his lap, kissing down his chest until she was on the floor in front of him. Her hand gripped the waistline of his slacks, tugging them down until she was able to toss them to the side.

He didn't even have time to process that, and she surely didn't care. Her hands brought his boxers down fast, giving him no time to react. There was a brief hesitation, where she was just looking at him, and then she was groaning into her hands. He furrowed his brows, confused.

"Okay, this has never happened to me before," he told her, wondering why she seemed so upset by the sight of him naked.

She looked up at him with exasperation on her face, and he grinned because she was still so gloriously nude. "Oliver, you do realize that you are, like, the definition of perfection, right?"

He looked around, even more confused than before. "And this is a bad thing... why?"

She shook her head. "No, this isn't bad. In fact, this is very good. For me, I mean. It's just frustrating because you don't have a single flaw when it comes to your body, and I-"

"You are perfect," he cut off, motioning for her to come onto the bed with him. She slowly crawled up next to him, resting right alongside him. "Felicity, I don't want you to have any insecurities, okay? You've made me feel a way that no woman ever has. If that doesn't speak volumes to you, then I don't know what will." She smiled, and he kissed her nose. "You are the definition of perfect for me, Felicity Smoak. I promise."

He rejoined their lips to seal that promise, and she took that as an opportunity to take him in her hand, stroking him lightly. He nearly bit her lip in surprise, feeling a pleasure so strong, it worried him what would happen if she carried on. He quickly stopped her, pulling back to find her smirking at him, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"I have a feeling you're going to use my declaration of how perfect I find you against me," he muttered, and she bit her lip to fight off her grin.

"You should trust that feeling," she responded, suddenly reaching into the drawer of her nightstand. She tossed a condom at him, gave him an expectant look. "I think you've explored enough of me for now. There's always time for more later, and if you aren't inside of me within the next few seconds, I think I might kick you out."

"You wouldn't," he challenged.

She cocked her head at him. "Is it really worth testing?"

He didn't need any further prodding. Quickly, he teared the condom free from its packaging, rolling it on. She watched him with heated eyes, and his gaze was just as inflamed when it locked with hers again. He moved so that he was hovering over her, putting most of his weight onto himself to avoid crushing her. But something about the way she kept looking at him told him that she wouldn't mind if he did a little.

He gripped himself with his right hand, guiding himself to her entrance. When his tip teased the outside of her folds, she moaned, an he needed to be with her before he exploded at the sound. Slowly, he pushed through her, letting her adjust to him. As her walls stretched around him, he saw her eyes flutter close, the breath completely knocked from her lungs.

Meanwhile, he was gritting his teeth, trying to keep from coming before he was even fully inside of her yet. She was just so warm and tight, and being with her was the most right he's ever felt in his entire life. And when he was fully inside of her, they both remained still, just breathing each other in and basking in their special moment.

Her hands held his face as she moved in to kiss him, and they both got their bodies to relax as they just sunk into one another. Gently, he pulled out, swinging right back in. She moaned into his mouth, and he only kissed her deeper, moving faster. His thrusts were long, deep, and had her clinging onto him. He felt complete with her surrounding him like that.

As he moved against her, their bodies giving and taking from each other equally, he realized that he never wanted this to end. He never wanted to _not_ be with her, in this way and just in general. He had no clue why, but he got the feeling that she was it for him. She was the one. And he wasn't scared in the slightest. And with his mind at ease, he focused on their bodies that were moving in perfect sync with each other.

He learned a lot about her in those following minutes. He learned that if he thrust his hips in time with his tongue, she arched her back. He learned that if he flicked his thumb over her nipple, she bit down on his lip in a gasp. And most importantly, he learned that when she climaxed, she wrapped her entire body into his, enclosing herself in him, and him only.

Oliver decided that he was going to spend the entire night learning every little thing there was to know about her.

He needed to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please! Every little one means the world to me! :)


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy you guys enjoyed the last chapter. The smut isn't over just yet (probably never will be from this point on) but there is an important discussion in this chapter as well.

Felicity woke up after the most incredible night of her life, smiling to herself. After the first time she'd slept with Oliver, they didn't take much of a pause before starting all over again. In fact, there really weren't any pauses at all. Their little breaks consisted of constant touching and kissing, and his tongue just _wouldn't_ stop. Truthfully, he was the best she'd ever had.

She wasn't going to tell him that, but something told her he'd already figured it out. Last night, she didn't know what she was expecting. When she'd pictured him naked - because yes, she had - he was always flat, but not defined. She thought he'd be average sized, not _above_ average. She'd thought the image of him she'd conjured in her head was already perfect enough, and the real thing only exceeded her expectations.

The strange thing was that he seemed more affected by _her_ body than she was by his. Felicity knew she had a nice body. Meeting with her trainer regularly and maintaining a somewhat healthy eating style had made her tone. She just never expected for him to be as worshiping of her body as he was. Oliver Queen, the man who was very familiar with women, had taken one look at her naked and had decided it was the best thing he'd ever seen.

Felicity grinned at the thought, shifting in her bed to discover that he'd more than held up his promise of making her sore. The ache between her legs was actually welcomed by her, since she'd never felt so thoroughly satisfied in her life. Yeah, she was definitely ready for another round.

Opening her eyes, she reached her arm backwards, hoping to come in contact with him. Her hand hit mattress, and the disappointment settled in. She didn't have to turn around to know that he wasn't in bed with her. Still, she looked, needing to confirm for sure. Even more disappointment washed over her. Of course it had been too good to be true.

Sighing, she flipped onto her back, resisting the urge to scream into her pillow. Had he been using her? Had he lied so that he could get her into bed? She thought that they'd really had a connection. He couldn't have faked that, could he have?

"You're awake," a voice said, and she immediately sat up.

"Oliver?"

He smirked, making his way towards her in his suit from the night before. "Were you expecting someone else?"

She felt her heart flutter as he came closer to her, thoughts of him abandoning her after sex long forgotten. "No, not until this evening," she teased, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "But I can always reschedule."

"You just love messing with me, don't you?" he murmured, putting one knee onto the mattress so that he could kiss her.

As his hands framed her face, his lips hovering right above hers, she grinned. "I think you love when I mess with you."

"I think you're right," he whispered, pressing his lips to hers and completely fusing her brain.

They kissed for a long while, and she should have been used to how toe-curling it was. They'd only spent the entire night with their lips melding against one another's. When they finally separated, she was breathless, and he was smiling widely. She exhaled shakily in an attempt to shrug his affect on her off, but if his smirk was any indication, he was fully aware of what he did to her.

"So, do you have to leave now?" she asked, reminding herself that he was completely dressed, and she was covered only by her sheets.

He furrowed his brows, shaking his head as he stood up. "No, why?"

"Well, it's just that you're dressed-"

"And I plan on getting _un_ dressed again," he interrupted, already tugging off his tie and throwing it on her dresser.

If she wasn't confused before, then she definitely was now. "Wait, if you weren't planning on leaving, then why did you get dressed?"

"Oh yeah," he remembered, leaving her room for a few seconds before returning with a cup of coffee in his hand. "I went out and got you this. I know you sort of have an addiction, and I didn't want to face the wrath of you without your caffeine ever again."

She took the cup from his hands, moaning in delight when the much-needed drink ran down her throat. Yeah, now she was awake. She smiled at him, loving that he remembered that she loved her coffee - not to even mention the fact that he knew exactly how she took hers - and that he was apparently terrified of her without it. He had to have known that she would never get as crazy as she did with him now that she understood.

"I also bought donuts, but I figured we could eat them after I eat you," he told her, and now that she was fully covered in a deep flush at his words, she noticed that while she'd been focused on her coffee, he'd been stripping off his suit jacket.

He climbed onto the bed, taking her coffee from her hands and setting it on the dresser. She gave him a look that was a combination of arousal and frustration, and he was grinning as he brought his lips to hers. She was expecting slow again, so she was more than surprised when he wrapped his hands around her wrists, holding them up over her head.

He pulled away to nip at her chin, trailing his lips down her neck and along her chest. The smirk he wore should have been illegal as he used his free hand to pull the sheets away from her body. This was the first time that he'd seen her completely naked in the day time, since all of their sex had taken place in the middle of the night. His gaze darkened as he looked down at her, reminding her all over again of what he thought of her body.

"Take your suit off," she ordered, hating that she was being restricted of seeing him as he was her.

His jaw locked as his eyes continued raking over her, and he gave no indication that he'd even heard her at all. Frustrated, she wiggled her hands out of his grasp, clutching his suit in her fists. His eyes met hers again, and he quickly took hold of her wrists again, returning them right back over her head.

"Don't move," he said, and she wasn't going to lie.

She was totally finding this hot.

"So I have to do as _you_ say, but you don't have to do as _I_ say?" she asked, since provoking him was always fun for her.

Especially in cases such as these.

He looked down at her, moving one of his hands so that it was resting right at her center, teasing her to the point where she was crying out his name. "Felicity, I think with all of the time you spent doing the exact _opposite_ of what I said, that you should let me have this."

"Or what?" she continued, and he slid one finger into her purposefully.

"Or my clothes stay on, and we both miss out on some real fun," he answered, dropping his head down to her neck to leave wet kisses there. "I'm sure you don't want that, do you?"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. He smiled in triumph, going back to his mission of kissing down her body. His fingers continued to move inside of her as he did this, and her hips thrust aimlessly to seek the friction she desperately needed. When he kissed past her navel, her breathe caught, and she gazed down at him with hooded eyes.

Last night - and technically some of the first hours of morning - had been all about sex for them. Yes, there'd been tons of touching. He'd made her come more times than she'd like to admit using only his fingers, and he always stopped her before he could climax from her hands. She hadn't tasted him yet, and she was surprising even herself by how badly she wanted to. He just kept telling her that there was time for that later, while he focused on giving her enough orgasms to last a lifetime in one night.

Just because he wanted to be stubborn, it didn't mean she had to. And he'd taken advantage of the fact that she'd basically granted him permission to do whatever the hell he liked to her. Now, he was about to do it again, only he wouldn't freaking get to it already.

His breath blew out over her, and she thrust her hips into his face. At that, he pulled away, letting his grip on her hands go. She looked at him, confused, and covering her upper body with her arms now. He raised an eyebrow at her, making her core ache in craving of him. He'd told her not to move her hands, but what was she supposed to do when he left her high and dry like that?

Keeping her eyes on him, she made note of every little movement he made. He stepped over to her dresser, his back blocking her from seeing what he was doing. She groaned impatiently, deciding that if he didn't do something to her within the next couple minutes, she was going to handle it herself. Then, he turned around, his tie hanging from his hands.

She swallowed. Oh fuck.

Slowly, he approached her, saying no words whatsoever. He was so calm about the entire thing, though she could see the fire blazing from behind his eyes. He set a knee onto her bed, taking her wrists in his hands and tying his tie around them. Then, he stretched her arms out over her head, tying the other side of the tie to her headboard. He tugged on it a few times to make sure it was secure, and when his eyes met hers again, they were a little softer.

"Is it too tight?" he asked, and she knew that he'd untie her in a heartbeat if she told him to.

But she trusted him, and she was finding this unbelievable levels of hot, so she shook her head. "No."

That softness was replaced with the burning desire again, and he nodded in satisfaction. He crawled back on top of her, kissing her on the lips. He kissed her so heatedly, and so thoroughly, that when he pulled away, her lead lifted from her pillow to follow his mouth. The tie caused her to flop back down, and she swallowed back her frustration.

His lips skimmed over her breasts, thankfully skipping over them after a few minutes, deciding to focus on more dire parts of her. Setting his hands on either sides of her inner thighs, he spread her open for him. She was practically trembling, and she knew she was soaked at this point. He knew it too, judging from the predatory look he now wore.

"The fact that you want me this bad does wonders for my ego," he muttered, most likely speaking mindlessly.

She responded to that though, knowing that it had to be said. "Have you looked below your waist yet? It's pretty obvious that you want me just as bad."

"And I'm not trying to deny it," he pointed out. "I crave you like I've never craved anything or anyone else in my entire life."

She closed her eyes, counting in her head to keep her sanity. When he said things like that to her, it made her want to do very sinful things to him. And since she was in no position to act out those thoughts, she needed to calm herself down.

Oliver's stubble against her inner thigh made her eyes snap open, and she looked down as far as she could, only able to spot the top of his head. However, that was enough to send waves of want to her core, because the sight of him between her legs might have just been one of the hottest things she'd ever seen.

She felt his tongue dart out to taste her, and arched her back. The jolt of pleasure was short-lived, because his lips moved over to her inner thigh, pressing softly to it. She groaned in annoyance, unable to move her hips since he was pinning them down to the mattress with his large hands.

Suddenly, her home phone rang, and one glance to her nightstand showed her that Sara was calling. Oliver growled out of frustration, and Felicity cringed. Though this was going to suck, she knew what she needed to do.

"I told Sara I'd call her last night to make plans for today. She's probably called my cell about a million times. If I don't answer, she's going to get worried," Felicity said, and she felt Oliver's head hit her stomach in frustration.

He exhaled roughly, and she gasped as the air whooshed past her heat. If he noticed her reaction to his accidental spur of pleasure, he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he stood from the bed, grabbing her phone, and hitting the little green button on it. He reached over, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Felicity answered, hearing Sara's relieved voice on the other end of the phone.

"Oh my God, Felicity. Why didn't you call me?" Sara demanded. "I thought we were going to make plans to hang out today. Do you want to tell me what happened last night?"

"Oh, um, there really wasn't much to tell," Felicity lied, and one look at Oliver told her that he wasn't offended by the comment.

Sara didn't buy it. "Yeah, right. Meet me at that coffee shop down the street in twenty so that you can give me the full recap."

"Sara, I can't," Felicity denied, because there was no way in hell she was leaving this bed anytime soon.

She could hear Sara's pout through the phone. "Why not?"

Felicity racked her brain for an excuse, saying the first thing that came to her mind. "Because I'm a little tied up right now."

If she could face palm right now, then she would have. Oliver choked back a laugh, and she opened her eyes to glare at him. He sobered up, but the humor still danced behind his eyes. Sara didn't respond for a long while, and Felicity held onto the hope that the call had dropped before she'd been able to hear that traumatizing response.

Luck wasn't on her side on this one.

"Is that some kind of kinky joke?" Sara guessed. "Who the hell did you go home with last night, and why are they tying you up? Felicity, if I had known you were into that kind of thing, I would have shared a lot more about mine and Nyssa's sex life with you than I already do."

"Sara, how about we do lunch on Monday?" Felicity offered, not about to start in on something like this while she was tied to her headboard, stark naked, with Oliver Queen only inches away.

Sara groaned. "Fine. I'll let you get back to your sex."

"Bye, Sara," Felicity murmured, and Oliver quickly hung up the phone.

He leaned down and pecked her lips, nothing but sweetness intended.

"What'd you do that for?" she asked, smiling up at him.

He shrugged. "I don't think I tell you this enough, but your lack of filter is extremely cute, Felicity Smoak."

She flushed, rolling her eyes to cover it up. He saw through it, chuckling as he took position right where he'd left off before that phone call. Suddenly, her mind and body were right where he'd left it, and that urge for him was back full force. He didn't tease her like before, so she figured he must have gotten tired of it as well.

Instead, he buried his head between her legs, his tongue dragging along her. She clenched her eyes shut, gripping the tie tightly. Her body arched off the mattress as Oliver sucked her clit into his mouth, being relentless as he tasted her. His arms banded around her waist, keeping her planted so that all she could do was lie down and let him completely overwhelm her. Her throat burned from calling his name out so loudly and so frequently, but she couldn't help herself.

His name was the only word she knew in that moment.

She could feel her orgasm coming, and knew it was going to be a strong one. Oliver probably sensed it, too, since his strokes slowed down right when she was teetering on the edge. She relaxed a little as he eased up on her, but then his tongue was right back to dipping in and out of her, and she was thrashing her head back and forth to fight off the insane depths of pleasure he was taking her to.

She couldn't fight it off any longer though, and she wasn't going to try anymore. So, she let go, giving in to it and trembling as the waves of pleasure rolled through her body. Oliver watched her come, his chin resting lightly on her stomach. When she finally caught her breath, he kissed his way back up her body, untying her from the headboard.

His lips pressed over the spots his tie had been covering on her wrists, soothing the slightly reddened skin. He then kissed his way up her arm, meeting her right back at her lips. She could taste herself on him, and it only further aroused her.

"Okay, I did what you said," she murmured, pulling away from him. "Now, take off your suit."

"You sure you don't want those donuts first?" he joked, and at her stern look he swallowed down his laugh. "Right. Suit. Off. Got it."

His fingers worked fast to undo the buttons on his shirt, and she sat on the edge of the bed to help him with his slacks. As she'd thought, he was more than ready for her, and she cupped him partly because she wanted to feel him, and partly because she owed him a lot of teasing after the stunt he'd just pulled. He cursed out her name, shrugging off his shirt, and removing her hands so that he could slide out of his slacks.

She didn't know if he was desperate, or if he was just tired of teasing her, but he threw his boxers off along with them. She felt her mouth dry at the sight of him, and wondered when she would get used to how gorgeous he was naked. He was gorgeous when he wasn't naked as well, but naked Oliver was always going to be her favorite.

* * *

Felicity and Oliver laid on their backs, with her head on his chest, the only thing covering them the sheets. Felicity picked at her donut, eating little nibbles every few sentences. Oliver was lying back on the pillow, listening to her talk with a smile on his face. She was going on about one of her college experiences that had to do with a bakery.

Felicity loved that he just listened to her. None of the guys she'd dated in the past could stand that for very long, yet here this incredible hunk of a man had already been listening to her rant on for the past half hour, and not once did he tell her to stop. The way she was feeling at the moment sent a terrifying thought her way, and she wished she could ignore it, but it refused to leave her mind after that.

"Oliver?" she asked, pausing in the middle of her story to address what was on her mind.

She heard the concern in his voice as he answered her. "Yeah?"

Biting her lip, she forced herself to just get it over with. "What are we?"

He sighed from underneath her, and if she had to guess, she would have called it a sigh of relief. "I was thinking about calling myself your boyfriend," he told her, and her insides warmed. "Would that be okay?"

She moved up to kiss him, practically draping half her body over his. "Very," she murmured, pecking his lips sweetly.

When she pulled back, he grinned, kissing her just a little more deeply now. "You taste like chocolate," he mumbled when they broke away.

She laughed, ripping off a bite of her donut and feeding it to him. He ate it, raising one eyebrow at her as she watched him. The grin wouldn't leave her face, and she bent over to kiss him again. Her tongue swept through his mouth, pulling back at the sound of his groan.

"Now you taste like chocolate," she whispered against his lips, settling into his body when he sighed in delight.

She traced small designs into his chest, tapping her fingers over the firm muscles of his abdomen teasingly. They were already so comfortable with each other's bodies, and she'd never felt like that before. There was always those nagging insecurities that raced through her mind whenever intimacy entered the equation. With Oliver, she felt none of those.

"You know," he began, his voice deeper now, "we're not going to be able to tell anyone about us yet."

She stiffened, looking up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I need people to take me seriously right now. If they find out I'm involved with someone who I work with, they'll find a way to use that against me. I know we acted a little more-than-friendly at the charity event, but no one noticed anything. Plus, I don't want people harassing you about me. The paparazzi will be all over you the second they catch scent of us, and I don't want to subject you to that just yet. Not that I ever want you to deal with them, but it's bound to happen."

His explanation made sense, and she really didn't care if people knew about them or not. All that mattered was that they knew what was between them. She knew how his image needed to be damn near spotless right now, because investors were dropping like flies. If he needed to keep them on the down low for now, then of course she'd do it. Also, coming out to the world as the world's hottest billionaire/bachelor's (only, not so much anymore) girlfriend wasn't something you did after only one night of _really_ mind-blowing sex.

"That makes sense," she agreed, kissing him so that he'd know she was completely on board with him about this. "But I can still tell Sara, right?"

He laughed, and his smile reflected onto her own face. "Yes. I have no problem with us telling the people we can trust. I plan on telling Tommy."

A thought entered her mind, and she closed her eyes as she muttered out a curse. "Barry has seen us do stuff."

"Do you think he'd tell?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Should I talk to him?"

Oliver shrugged. "Maybe he thinks we just had a hook-up, and now it's back to professional matters only between us."

"Maybe," she whispered, gnawing on her lower lip in worry and doubt.

He brushed her cheek, his touch comforting. "Technically, he didn't see us do anything more than stand against each other. He probably thinks you hate me."

"You know what? I'll just have a talk with him. If he suspects something is going on between us, then I'll do my best to assure him that it's not true. If he's completely clueless, then we have nothing to worry about."

"And that's why you're the genius," he said, flipping so that he was hovering over her.

Their lips met, and they were both grinning as they kissed. Oliver's hands ran along her sides, as he settled between her legs. She moaned when she felt him already growing hard for her, and pulled away from him so that he could shower kisses along her neck.

"We're never leaving this bed, are we?" she breathed.

He murmured the only answer she wanted to hear against that sweet spot right under her ear.

"No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please! :)


	12. Chapter Twelve

Oliver did have to go home eventually, and when he finally left, Felicity felt an emptiness in her apartment she'd never felt before. He'd only been there for one night, and yet it felt like he'd been there her whole life. The house seemed dead without his warmth, and she was sure the only reason she got any rest Sunday night was because her sheets smelled like the cologne he wore.

He'd texted her to tell her goodnight, and she'd decided not to tell him just how much she missed him. It was impossible to tell if he was going through the same thing without her there, and she didn't want to freak him out. So, she'd just texted him a goodnight back, and fell asleep with him on her mind.

When she'd been dressing for work that morning, she'd kept him in mind. She'd put on one of her black pencil skirts, remembering him muttering on about how incredible she looked in them while he was thrusting into her. How she'd even managed to process that, she had no idea. All she knew was that he liked seeing her in them, so she put one on, accompanied by her favorite pair of black heels. The blouse she wore with it was tight, yet professional, and she'd smiled at her reflection before she'd left for work.

Now, she sat at her desk, and he had yet to see her yet. She thought about texting him, or even sending him an email. He was _so_ not good for her right now, when she needed her head in the game. She had to decided which projects were being placed on the back burner for the time being, and she needed to be focused solely on that right now.

Monday was the day of her next big meeting, and that was day she was supposed to read to the other higher-ups the projects that she'd decided on. And only when they'd come to a final agreement on things, did she have the green light to tell her department about the cuts. She didn't know what the point was anymore, seeing as the rumors had been spreading ever since Oliver had proposed the idea. Felicity still felt it her obligation to explain everything to them though, knowing she would have wanted the same.

Barry was monitoring all of her calls right now, since she didn't need the distraction of having her phone ring every ten seconds. As soon as she'd seen him that morning, she'd feared that he somehow knew she spent her weekend thrashing around her sheets with Oliver Queen. Obviously it was all in her head, but that didn't mean she couldn't panic.

There was a knock on her door, and a flare of hope shot through her at the thought of it being Oliver. It opened, and in stepped Barry Allen, a pencil tucked behind his ear. She smiled at him, though inside she was freaking out. He knew. He just had to. Why else would he be in here?

"Ms. Smoak? Sorry to disturb you," he began. "I just have a message from Sara that she really wanted to make sure you got since you haven't responded to her texts yet." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "She wants me to remind you about meeting her for lunch today, and said that if you don't text her an address in the next ten minutes, then she's going to bring food here."

Felicity hunched in relief, already digging through her purse for her phone so that she could call Sara back. Barry turned around to leave, and she knew now was a good a time as any to find out just how much he knew about her and Oliver.

"Hey, Barry? Can you wait up a second?"

He paused, turning back around. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. "I just want to ask you something. It shouldn't take long, but it's kind of personal, so would you mind shutting the door?"

"Yeah, of course," he agreed, clicking it shut.

She exhaled loudly, deciding on how to phrase this. "So, do you remember that day you walked in on Mr. Queen and I having a very heated discussion? It was right before my meeting with Mr. Palmer about the investment forms."

Barry nodded. "I remember."

"Okay, well I'm just curious as to what you think is going on between Mr. Queen and I," she told him, proud at herself for getting that out without stumbling over her own words.

Barry shrugged. "I just assumed he was coming onto you, and you were rejecting him. I mean, it's no secret that Mr. Queen thinks very highly of himself. When you pushed him off of you, I thought it was you putting him in his place."

Well, that wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but she'd take it. "Alright, good. That is exactly what happened, and I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. If people start to think something is going on between us, it could really badly impact my image at the company."

"Oh, I understand, Ms. Smoak," Barry assured. "I know nothing is going on between you two."

"Great," she replied, smiling sweetly. "But now that there are going to be cut-backs in this department, he's probably going to be in my office a lot. It would be great if you could assure the other workers here that things between us are strictly professional."

"I don't really talk to anyone here," Barry admitted. "But if I do ever overhear something, I'll make sure they have their story straight."

"I really appreciate that, Barry," she said. "Thank you."

"No problem, Ms. Smoak," he replied, opening her door and exiting.

She sighed in relief when he left, unlocking her phone to see the missed calls from Sara. She was about to hit the 'call back' button, but stopped short. Instead, she went to Oliver's contact, composing a new text to him.

_Barry is taken care of._

Then, she called Sara, telling her to meet her at the pizza joint just down the street from Queen Consolidated, hanging up after a brief conversation with her best friend about the eagerness to catch up. When she ended the call, she saw that she had one new message from Oliver. She opened it, smiling.

_Good. I miss you already._

Holding back the urge to shriek in joy, she typed back her response.

_I miss you, too. I'm meeting Sara for lunch in a little while, so I won't be able to see you. Walk me to my car tonight?_

He texted back, and she let out a little squeak of happiness that she was glad no one was around to witness.

_Yes, and you can expect that every night from now on, Ms. Smoak._

Yeah, she was already so whipped.

* * *

Felicity spotted Sara the moment she walked into the pizza joint, since her best friend was the only one practically blinding her with her smile. Felicity already knew she was about to be interrogated more intensely than a murder suspect in a few minutes, and readied herself while she still could. Sara was sitting at a small booth, a pizza already in front of her.

"Thank God you already ordered," Felicity muttered, sitting down across from her. "I am starving."

"I got here a little earlier than I expected to," Sara explained, that smile never leaving her face as Felicity grabbed herself a slice.

Felicity took a bite, trying to distract herself from Sara's eagerness. It was no use, so she set her slice back down, rolling her eyes. "Just ask me it already."

"Who was the guy?" she blurted, without even a beat of hesitation.

Felicity shook her head, trying to be aloof. "Why are you so quick to assume I was with a guy?"

"That's not an answer," Sara pointed out. "But I'll answer it anyways. In case you don't remember, you told me that you couldn't stop by the club Friday night because you had plans. I didn't push you for details, since I thought you'd tell me eventually. Plus, you assured me that you'd call me and schedule plans for Saturday."

"I'm sorry I forgot to call you," Felicity groaned.

"That is not the point here," she replied, shaking her head. "You went home with someone Friday night, and the sex was so good that it continued on into the next day. Now, I want to know who this mind-blower is."

"Sara, if you're smart enough to piece all of that together, then something tells me that you already know who the guy is."

Sara cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow at Felicity in challenge. "I want you to say his name."

"Oh, trust me," Felicity began, her eyes glinting as she found an opportunity to really brag about how completely satisfied that god had made her that weekend. "I've said his name plenty of times."

Sara grinned, nodding in approval and high-fiving Felicity from across the table. "Great, so what does this mean? Are you guys dating now, or what?"

Felicity took another bite of her pizza, giving Sara a nod. "Yeah, we're dating. He even called himself my boyfriend. The thing is, no one can know that we're dating. It would be bad press for him right now, and the last thing he needs is negativity towards his company."

They ate in silence for a little bit, and Felicity knew Sara was processing everything she'd just told her. It wasn't until Felicity was reaching for her second slice that Sara broke through that silence, being her usual blunt self that Felicity came to adore.

"So, what did he tie you up with?" she questioned, grinning.

Felicity snorted. "That's all you've been thinking about since the phone call, isn't it?" she guessed, and Sara didn't even try to deny it. "Well, before you start thinking I'm into some hardcore kinks, let me tell you that that was the first time I've ever been tied up. It was just my hands, and he used his tie."

"Did you like it?" Sara pressed, looking at Felicity with way too much amusement.

"Actually, it was really hot," she admitted. "Everything about him is hot. And, he is like an orgasm machine. It was like all I had to do was put the quarter in, and orgasm after orgasm rained out. Sara, I thought I was going to die from having too many orgasms."

Sara groaned, covering her face. "Ugh, if you say orgasm one more time, then I'm going to have to find Oliver and see if your story checks out."

"You do that, and I will be forced to bitch slap you, Sara Lance," Felicity warned.

She raised her hands in defense, trying to play the victim. "Hey, it was only a joke. You know I'm totally committed to my loving and wonderful girlfriend, Nyssa." Sara paused, looking at her phone. "Speaking of Nyssa, we're supposed to have dinner tonight. I wonder why she hasn't called yet."

"She's probably a little tied up," Felicity taunted, and Sara shook her head.

"You're on a roll today, aren't you?"

Felicity shrugged, beaming. "I guess I'm just having a good day."

"I'd be grinning like you, too, if I'd had an orgasm count that reached double digits in only a couple days."

Felicity stayed quiet, chuckling silently to herself. They ate their pizza, catching up on what had been going on besides Felicity's sex life. Felicity really loved Sara as if she were her sister. There was no doubt in her mind that Sara would keep her relationship with Oliver a secret. At this point, things were going well for Felicity. She could only hope it'd stay that way.

* * *

At close to 7:00, there was a small knock on Felicity's door. A smile immediately overtook her face, and she pushed her chair out as she shouted permission for the person on the other end to come in. After the stressful day she'd had after lunch with Sara, this was what she'd been looking forward to all day. Something told her that Oliver had been in the same position as her.

As the door opened, she got up from her chair, racing over to it. Before Oliver could even step inside, she had her arms banded around his neck, and her lips on his. He hummed in half-shock and half-appreciation, settling his hands low on her waist. She knew everyone on the floor had gone home already, and most likely everyone in the building as well.

When they finally broke away, Oliver kept her close, looking down at her. She smiled up at him, holding onto the lapels of his suit. Her eyes traveled down his body, taking him in. She hadn't seen him all day, and she felt the need to take note of his impeccable appearance. And she was not disappointed.

"How was your day?" he huskily asked, drawing her eyes back to his.

She lifted a shoulder. "Busy," she answered. "Yours?"

"The same," he replied, leaning in to kiss her again. "I've been thinking about you all day."

"Oh yeah?" she murmured, sighing into his mouth as he overlapped his lips over hers languidly. They kissed for a long time, just sinking deeper and deeper into each other. He could take her to a whole different world with just his lips. "Oliver?"

He pulled back. "What?"

"Why does this feel so natural?" she asked, because it truly baffled her.

He swallowed, taking her hand in his and rubbing his thumb back and forth over it. "Because this is right," he stated simply. "This was supposed to happen, and now that it has, it feels as though its been happening for forever."

She nodded, giving him a small shove. "Come on. The sooner you walk me to my car, the sooner we can make-out inside of it."

He laughed at that, following her lead to the elevators. "Felicity, that is such a high school thing to do," he pointed out.

Felicity looked at him from over her shoulder, pushing the button for the elevator and waiting for it to arrive. "Are you really complaining?" she challenged.

"Me? Complaining about kissing you?" He scoffed. "Felicity, I don't think that's even possible."

The elevators chimed open, and they stepped on. Felicity wore a pleased smile, pushing the button for the first floor. As they rode down, she took his hand in hers, getting a fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach when she felt him squeeze her hand. Maybe she was being totally high school with him, but there was nothing wrong with that, right?

She hadn't liked high school anyways. The kids were mean to her since she was way younger and smarter than them, and the boys thought her insecurities were something to take advantage of. It wasn't until college that she started dating, and even then she didn't do anything that are deemed stereotypes for couples. If she could do a little of those things with Oliver, then there was nothing wrong with that.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, brushing her ponytail to the side so that he could plant his lips on the center of her neck.

She fought back the chill that was tempted to run down her spine, pulling back to look at him. "I was just thinking about my teenage years," she answered, feeling just a flicker of doubt that if he found out how awkward she was at one point, he would walk away from this relationship.

She knew it was stupid, but she also knew how his teenage years were spent. He was only on every magazine in the city and his name even made it to other states as well. That's why she would shake her head at the occasional article about him in the online news-page she'd read during her time in MIT. Oliver was a reckless teen, but she was sure he regretted none of it.

"What about them?" he continued, drawing her back.

The elevator doors opened, saving her from answering that terrifying question. They walked out, still hand in hand, headed in the direction of her car. She couldn't help but notice how close their cars were to each other again, and even that was making her skin flush. They finally reached her car, and he backed her into it, twining their fingers together.

"I would loved to have seen you at 17," he told her, not dropping the topic as she'd hoped.

She shook her head, looking down. "No, you wouldn't have."

"I would've," he argued chuckling. "I can just imagine you winning all these awards and trying to act all humble, but failing miserably. Not to offend you, Felicity Smoak, but you may have a major smugness issue."

Her heart stopped, because what she thought Oliver's depiction of her would be, was _not_ that. She thought he'd be imagining short skirts, and maybe some sort of popular girl. Instead, he'd seen her for what she really was at that age, and if anything, he seemed taken by the idea. She could see his eyes dancing wildly with more thoughts of the kind of person she was in college, and just reached up to kiss him.

"Mmm, what was that for?" he asked when she pulled away.

"I really like you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his back.

He coiled his arms around her as well, his chest rumbling with his amusement for her strange behavior. "I really like you, too," he murmured. "You know, Felicity, when I was 17, I was a mess. I hated the person I was, and if I could go back and do it all over again like you, I would."

She was stunned again, because this was just another time where she'd assumed something about him that was completely untrue. He just kept surprising her, and she guessed that she should always be on her toes around him.

"Well, if all of that led to the man you are today, then I think it was all worth it," she replied, letting him go so that she could look at his face.

He was looking down at her with so much warmth, it made her forget all about the chilliness of Starling City's night weather. "You're remarkable, you know that?"

She flushed, unlocking her car door, and gesturing for him to come around the other side. "Come on. I think I promised you one high-school-themed make-out session."

His grin was so perfect and immediate, she wished she could have snapped a picture. Instead, she got into her car, turning it on and watching as he did the same thing. And when he was sitting in the seat next to her, he shut his door, switching on her radio. The sound of jazz filled the car from the same station he listened to that she decided to try out this morning, and the way he looked at her definitely did give her chills this time.

"You started listening to this station?"

She nodded. "Ever since I heard it in your car, I found that I can't stop listening to it."

"Are you busy this weekend?" he blurted, his heated gaze making her nervous. "I mean, do you have plans? Because if not, then I, um, I wanted to-"

"No, I'm not busy," she interrupted, wanting to cut his ramble short like she wished people would do with her sometimes.

He smiled slowly. "Great. Because I was thinking that we could go see a movie. There's this little theater I found with Thea when we were younger that the paparazzi stay far away from."

"I'd like that," she said, making him grin again. "Now, kiss me."

He didn't hesitate to do that one, and she felt herself begin to melt as his lips met hers, warm and inviting. He took his time building her up, probably something that was very un-high-school-like. His fingers stumbled along her chin, before his hand cupped her face. She held his face in her hands, already feeling her body throb to just be closer to him.

His tongue finally stroked her lower lip, and she opened her mouth to him almost immediately. They simultaneously sighed when their tongues met, curling together like what had become so natural to them just due to the last few days. She was pulling at his hair now, growing more frustrated with the huge console between them by the second. She suddenly pulled away, and they were both breathless, striving for air harshly.

"I thought make-out sessions usually occurred in the back seat," she said, and he caught on quickly, nodding.

"Yeah, they definitely do," he agreed. "And it'd be wrong if we didn't obey that rule, right?"

Now, she nodded. "Totally."

Oliver was in the back seat within the next second, startling even her. He grinned mischievously at her from the back, beckoning her to him with that glint in his eye that could get her to do anything, she was sure. Felicity tried not to giggle at how ridiculous he looked in the back of her tiny car, and focused solely on how hot he looked at all. She huddled over the console, attempting to join him back there. His patience was probably running low, considering how he took her arms in his hands, yanking her back there in one swift move.

She yelped, but it was quickly covered by his lips. Then, they were both chuckling against each other's mouths, as she tried to get comfortable back there. She still didn't want to be kissing him from another seat, so she was thankful when a certain idea popped into her head. She set her knees on either side of his thighs, straddling his lap.

Her lips overpowered his now, and she knew he didn't mind in the slightest. She peeked her tongue between his lips, reeling it back before he could claim it with his own, and letting out a breath of humor at his noise of frustration. Her fingers scraped gently over the stubble on his face, and her hips began to jut against his, almost as if they had a mind of her own - because honestly, it wasn't her intention to grind him into oblivion.

"Ah, feels good," he breathed between minuscule separations of her lips to his.

She felt herself nodding, only rubbing into him harder. Fuck, it did feel good. He was already hard, and just that was satisfying her. She'd never been wanted by someone the way he wanted her, and man, did that drive her insane. Her fingers tucked into his tie, tugging and tugging until she could pop open the buttons of his collar.

"Did you do this in high school, too?" she asked, sucking down his neck and below his popped collar.

He hummed in agreement, his hands gripping her rapidly moving hips. "Yeah, but it never felt as good as this."

She pulled back, looking into his blown pupils, right before mumbling, "Right answer."

Then, her hands were working on unbuckling his belt, and his hands were pulling the elastic band from her hair. As she worked on pulling him out, he ran his fingers through her hair, practically giving her a scalp massage. She felt her eyes roll back, feeling relaxed now despite her level of unbelievable arousal. It took a minute or so of struggling, but she finally had him out of his pants, and she felt her body crying out for him.

"There was a point where I didn't even think I could fit in your car," he reminded her, removing the glasses from her face.

She flushed at the action, ducking her head. Her eyes caught the movement of his hand, and she watched as he placed her glasses in the pocket of his suit jacket. When she looked back at him, he was smirking, almost as if he knew that action would absolutely drive her to her breaking point.

"That means you don't have an excuse for not riding in it with me then," she pointed out, responding to his last comment with a shaky voice.

"I could say something really clever about how you should be riding me right now, but I won't," he replied, still wearing that damn smirk.

She decided she was going to kiss it, because his lips had formed it several times, but she'd never had the opportunity to trace it with her own. He put up no protest when she leaned down to kiss him, and that smirk didn't go away, but transferred onto her face. That was because while he'd been smug about her irresistible urge to kiss him, she'd been sneaking her hand down to the front of his pants, before suddenly taking him in her grasp.

"How is this fair?" he grumbled, and she stroked him so that he went off into a fit of curses.

"What's not fair about it?"

His hands slid up her legs, stopping at her skirt. "I can't feel you. Your skirt," he pouted, and she only kissed him harder.

Her hands tugged at the zipper of her skirt, letting it slip from her body. When she had only her panties on from the waist down, his hands took it from there. He palmed her through her panties, making her moan into his mouth. He slipped a finger underneath the material, testing her slickness and biting down on her lower lip in a groan.

"Rip them," she ordered, and he gave her a curious look. "I won't miss one pair."

He didn't question that, and ripped the pair of panties that she had on from her body, tucking them into the other pocket of his jacket. She raised her eyebrows at him, but his face held no shame. Besides, she found the entire thing hot, so she didn't even attempt to demand them back. Without waiting even a minute more, she gripped him from beneath her, guiding him into her entrance.

"Fuck," he grit, looking down as their bodies slowly became one.

She moaned his name every time she sunk another inch onto him. When he was fully inside of her, they took a few minutes to compose themselves. Then, his hips thrust upwards, sending her nerves into a frenzy. She knew that was her okay to continue, and held nothing back. She rode him fast and hard, taking as much as she was giving.

Oliver's thrusts were purposeful, filled with the single intent of bringing her pleasure, which she knew he put above his own. His hand slipped between them, rubbing against her at the same time and making her eyes clench shut with the overwhelming bursts of pleasure. It came to a point where if she didn't let go right then and there, it surely would have killed her.

So, she did, throwing her head back and yelling out his name. He came only a few thrusts after her, saying her name in that throaty voice he had after sex. She crumpled against his chest as she struggled to regain her normal breathing rate, and he ran his hands along her back as he steadied his heart rate as well. When they could finally think again, they just kept touching each other, so comforted in the moment.

"Well, if this isn't the perfect way to end the night, then I don't know what is," he joked, but she completely agreed with him.

This was one hell of a way to end the stressful day she'd had.

"I'd never had sex in a car before," she admitted, and his eyes darkened.

"Good," he remarked. "I'm glad that I'm the guy who you got to share this experience with. It'll be the first of many, trust me."

She looked down, smiling even though she was a little bothered. "I'm sure there isn't much you haven't done yet."

"Well, I wasn't talking about just sexual acts," he clarified, "but there are some things I haven't done yet in that category."

She raised her brows at him. "Really? Like what?"

He smiled. "I'll tell you when the time comes. I wouldn't want to ruin all of the suspense."

She rolled her eyes, finally climbing off of him, and putting her skirt back on. Her eyes drifted over to him as he tucked himself back into his pants, redoing his belt. He looked into her mirror, fixing his tie as well. She opened her door, and he opened the door on his side. As he made his way towards her, she met him half way. Her hand reached out to him, and she plucked her glasses from his pocket.

"I kind of need these," she told him, slipping them back onto her face.

He smiled, and she reached for his other pocket, watching as that smile immediately fell away. His eyes turned dark, and his hand caught her wrist, stopping her from even coming near that other pocket.

"You don't need those," he murmured, and she swallowed, nodding in agreement.

"Goodnight, Oliver," she whispered, not trusting herself to say much more than that.

He kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Felicity."

He got into his car, and she got into hers, and just like the first night they'd spoken, he waited for her to drive off before he left.

The entire drive home, she smiled.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the patience, guys. Here's the next chapter!

Oliver spotted his best friend as he walked into the deli, waving him over. Tommy caught his gesture, acknowledging him with a nod before getting into line. Oliver turned back around, taking a drink of his Pepsi as he prepared himself for the talk him and Tommy needed to have.

Today was Wednesday, and Oliver had decided just this morning that today was the day to tell Tommy about his relationship with Felicity. Oliver imagined Tommy would be shocked. As far as he knew, Tommy didn't even know he knew who Felicity was. Yeah, they'd interacted briefly at Sara's surprise party, but it wasn't enough for anyone to make the assumption that they were speaking before that, or even after.

This was going to be hard for a lot of reasons. Oliver knew the relationship Tommy had with Felicity. She'd even told him herself that she thought of Tommy as a brother. Well, that brother was someone who knew the worst of Oliver's mistakes, and was even there to witness some of them firsthand. He prayed that Tommy would take the news well. If he didn't, Oliver had no clue as to what he would do.

Tommy suddenly appeared at his side, slapping him on his back with his free hand before sliding into the seat across from him. He set his sandwich down in front of him, rubbing his hands together dramatically, before taking a hearty bite. Oliver watched him, chuckling to himself to throw off any suspicion that could have been drawn by his sulking.

"You remember that girl from Sara's party? Felicity?" Tommy asked between another bite.

Oliver felt his heart stop, but covered it with a weak nod. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, she absolutely loves this place," Tommy told him, easing Oliver's nerves since he was still clueless about what was going on between them. "I used to come meet her for lunch all the time here. I'm surprised you know about it. I thought you weren't one to eat at little places like this."

Oliver shrugged. "I've recently taken a liking to calmer environments."

Tommy nodded in understanding, scarfing down some more of his sandwich. Oliver watched him eat for a while, trying to talk himself into having the conversation he knew they needed to have. If he didn't tell Tommy now, then he would find out on his own. That's not how he wanted things to happen, so he finally sucked it up, deciding to get to the point.

"Hey, Tommy?" Oliver asked, and his friend's head snapped up from his food.

"Yeah, man?"

Oliver swallowed. "Uh, you remember that girl I'd told you about?"

"The one that has you all messed up?" Tommy smirked, wiping his lips with his napkin. "Tell me you finally worked that one out. The last thing I knew about you guys was that you saw her at the club. I really wish I could have seen her."

Oliver laughed nervously, looking down. "Actually, you have seen her before, Tommy."

Tommy took a drink of his soda, furrowing his brows. "Really?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, I just hadn't known you'd seen her before. As a matter of fact, I think you know her pretty well."

"Are you sure, man? Because the only girl I know at Queen Consolidated is Felicity," Tommy told him, still not piecing things together yet.

Oliver gave him a second, but when he still looked lost, Oliver sighed. "Tommy, please don't make me spell it out for you."

Tommy remained confused for about thirty more seconds, before his face glazed over in understanding. At first, he looked shocked, then, that shock was followed by anger. Oliver flinched, knowing that that easy conversation he'd been hoping for was now just a pipe dream.

"Oliver, please tell me you are not screwing Felicity," Tommy pleaded, his voice shaky with retrained rage.

"Tommy, it's more than that," Oliver explained. "You know it's more than that. From the very start, I told you there was something different about her. I had no idea that you two knew each other, and the only reason I didn't mention it to you sooner, was because she'd told me just a little while before that she wanted to cut all ties with me. It wasn't until a week ago that we started dating, and now we're a thing. She told Sara about it, and now I'm telling you. All I want is your support, but I'll understand if you don't give it to me."

They were both quiet for some time, and Oliver knew Tommy was considering everything he'd said. Tommy's anger seemed to slowly fade away, until he was blank-faced. Oliver let out a breath of air he hadn't realized he'd been holding, something telling him that him and Tommy would get past this.

"Break her heart, and I'll kick your ass," Tommy threatened, exhaling and showing Oliver he wasn't upset with him. "But I'm happy for you, honestly. I've never seen you get so worked up over someone before. Clearly, this is something more."

Oliver smiled. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you're being so supportive. I know I'm going to need to come to you for advice on occasion."

"No, no, no, no, no," Tommy quickly denied, shaking his head. "You will not be coming to me with your relationship problems. I am friends with you and Felicity, so there is zero chance of you putting me in the middle there."

"She has Sara!" Oliver reminded him, practically whining about losing that privilege from his best friend. "Who will I have?"

Tommy looked at him, conceding. "Fine, you can talk to me about them. Just make sure that anything I say will not be traced back to me, okay?"

"Okay," Oliver agreed, grinning. "Now, I'd appreciate if you kept this to yourself. Felicity and I have decided not to go public yet, so only our closet friends and family are allowed to know about us."

"Right, I understand. I wasn't planning on telling anyone anyway."

Oliver snorted, crossing his arms. "It's not you I'm worried about. My sister is a little gossiper, and the news of me dating Felicity has her really excited. I'll need to talk to her before she lets something slip."

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, take care of that fast, man," he advised. "Wait, can I tell Laurel?"

Oliver shrugged. "I'm sure Sara already has, but yeah, go ahead." Oliver paused, thinking about his relationship with Felicity. "Its only been a week since we started dating, but I've never felt something like this before, Tommy. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Just keep doing what you already are. It seems to be working just fine."

He laughed, trying to shrug it off. But truthfully, his feelings for Felicity scared the crap out of him. Only this time, it was a good kind of fear. It was the fear of knowing that she already meant so much to him, that losing her would destroy him. Something told him that there was no going back now.

And he was fine with that.

* * *

Friday finally reached them, and Oliver had never been more happy to see the weekend. Even though his Saturday was going to be spent at the office, brainstorming business ideas with Walter, he was still looking forward to his Friday night. Oliver Queen had a date with Felicity Smoak, and work was now the farthest thing from his mind as he waited for her downstairs, the anticipation of seeing her again - even though he just had a couple hours prior - eating away at him.

The movie they were going to see was one he'd never heard of. He'd casually slipped it into a conversation with Thea, about which movies were worth seeing right now. She'd grinned smugly - clearly, he hadn't been casual enough - texting him a couple she thought he'd like. When it came to the latest trends, he was admittedly behind.

He wasn't that worried about the movie sucking though. All that mattered to him was spending time with her, no matter how the movie turned out. If it was a good movie, then even better.

Oliver felt his heart jump into his throat as Felicity came into view. She always did things like that to him, and he knew she wasn't even aware of it 50% of the time. And it didn't matter that the dress she had on was absolutely perfect on her - though that was _really_ nice. She could be wearing a garbage bag, and his heart would still skip a beat when looking at her.

"Sorry I'm late," she mumbled, hopping into his front seat.

He shook his head, snapping himself out of his daze. "Oh, it's fine. The movie doesn't start for another half-hour. We have plenty of time to get to the theater and grab some good seats."

"Good," she smiled, brushing her lips over his cheek before he could start driving. "You look nice."

"Nice?" he repeated, glancing at her as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Is that all you got?"

She gave him an amused look, shaking her head. "You couldn't handle what I got," she said, and he realized that he shouldn't fight her on that.

He couldn't handle her when she _wasn't_ trying. It was really dumb of him to be taunting her for more. They both knew that he would turn the car around in a heartbeat and just give in to her all night if she asked him to. And he wanted to see a movie with her, so he decided cooling things down would be a wise decision. At least, for now.

"How was your week?" he asked, making small talk as he drove them the route that was all too familiar to him.

She looked out her window, scrunching her nose in a way he caught in the mirror that sent warmth throughout his entire form. "Um, it was okay. A lot of work."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Walter wants me in the office first thing in the morning tomorrow," he told her, feeling the disappointment coming off of her at his words.

"Oh, so you won't be staying the night?" she guessed.

He folded his lips, cursing his horrid work schedule. Of course he wanted to stay the night with her. He'd wanted to feel her in his arms ever since he left her apartment last weekend. The fact that she wanted him there just made him want to be there even more.

"No," he sighed. "Felicity, trust me, there is no place I'd rather be than with you tomorrow. Work is just really hectic for me right now."

"I know," she murmured, touching his hand to show that even though she was disappointed, she understood. "I hope things calm down soon."

"Me, too," he agreed, wishing for that more than anything right now.

They drove in silence, until he pulled into the tiny parking lot of the movie theater, smiling as memories of him and Thea coming there flashed through his mind. He opened Felicity's door for her, and their arms linked together as they made their way to the entrance. He liked learning new things about her, so he paid attention to the type of candy she chose.

When they walked into the correct theater, Oliver was happy to see that they practically had the room to themselves. He let Felicity decide where she wanted to sit, taking note of that as well. They sat in the very top row, right at the end. And as the movie played out, her head ended up on his shoulder, comforting him in a way he never felt with anyone besides her.

The movie was a couple of hours long, but he didn't even notice. Thea was right to have suggested it, since it was the perfect combination of interesting and funny. Felicity would laugh, and it would make him smile even more than he already was. She'd tense with the action scenes, holding onto his arm in anticipation. They shared their candy with each other, everything just coming so naturally to the both of them.

When they left the theater, they got back into Oliver's car. It was dark out, and he knew he had to be home fairly early if he was going to have the energy to handle a day with Walter discussing serious issues involving the future of Queen Consolidated. Oliver didn't want their date to end just yet though, so he decided they'd grab some ice cream at the small shop down the road.

It was yet another place him and Thea would go to, and Oliver swore he never had better ice cream than from there. It was strange, but it'd been so long since he had ice cream, and the thought of returning there excited him. Also, he just loved sharing these kind of things with Felicity. She was the only person he'd ever thought of sharing these special things with, and he knew that was never going to change.

"I'm guessing we're not going back to my apartment?" she told him, and he let out a breathy chuckle.

He turned into the parking lot, setting his car in park. "Not yet."

She raised her eyebrow at him, but didn't push him for more. She never did, even though he knew her curiosity was killing her. If it had been him in this situation, he knew he would be running up the wall trying to figure out where she was taking him. He truly envied her and her unwavering restraint when it came to this.

The ice cream shop came into view, and he could tell she'd figured him out. Still, he smiled, not saying a word as they got out of the car. He felt the memories wash over him, and took Felicity's hand just to make this moment that much more enjoyable.

"Something's telling me you used to come here a lot, too," she murmured, looking at him with those eyes that he could get lost in.

"Thea," he answered as a weak way of explanation, but she understood. "We would come here after the movies. It's just really nice to be back here. I'm happy you're here for me to share this with."

"I have a few happy places of my own that I'd love to take you to," she responded, making him all the more sure that this thing between them was right.

"That sounds perfect."

He kissed her temple, opening the door to the tiny shop, and letting her step in before him. He watched as she gazed around, and he took a few moments to do the same. Though it'd been many years since he'd last been there, the place looked exactly the same. The walls had remained that golden-coffee color, and framed black and white pictures still covered them. The worker behind the counter was really the only thing new about the place.

They approached the front, their eyes scanning over the assortment of flavors. Once again, Oliver paid close attention to what Felicity chose, knowing it would be important later. She ordered mint chocolate chip, refusing any toppings since she was allergic to nuts, and that was really the only topping option there. Yeah, knowing what she was allergic to was definitely important.

He ordered the same chocolate ice cream he always had, asking for sprinkles on top. After their order was paid for, they scoped out a small table in the corner of the shop, making their way over to it. Oliver took the seat across from Felicity, and they just sat and ate their ice cream for several minutes. Then he broke the silence, wanting to hear her voice.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, referring to her opinion on the ice cream.

She seemed to consider his question, her eyes squinting adorably in the process. "Yeah, I can totally picture adolescent Oliver taking his younger sister here for ice cream."

He laughed. "You can picture me as an adolescent?" She nodded, her eyes glinting, and he let himself smirk as an idea popped into his mind. "Then what else do you see?"

She leaned forward, and they were both only inches apart, not breaking eye contact once. "Well, I can see you sneaking out past your curfew, going to outrageous parties... being an adorable older brother."

He cocked his head to the side. "Tell me what you were like, Felicity."

He'd asked her this before, but she'd expertly dodged his question. He hadn't minded at the moment, sensing her discomfort about the topic. He couldn't ever imagine what she had to be ashamed about. For him, nothing could be as embarrassing as the way he'd spent his teenage years. Asking her this question might be pushing it, but he wanted her to feel comfortable telling him anything.

Her eyes flashed, and she finally looked away, stirring her melted ice cream around. He waited patiently, not pushing her to say anything until she was ready. It took about a minute before she finally sighed, speaking.

"I wasn't popular," she began, saying it as if she didn't care, even though he knew she did. "I hung out with the hackers of my university, and that's how I spent my free time. I didn't get drunk until the day I graduated from MIT, and at the time, it didn't take much to do just that. I kind of let boys walk all over me, because it was so rare for one to even speak to me."

She stopped talking, and he brushed her hand with his, making her glance back up at him. He saw the pain in her eyes, the struggle it truly was for her to reveal all of this to him. He was angry with how upset she seemed by her past, and damn near fuming upon hearing about how guys treated her. No one deserved her. Not even himself.

"I wish you had gone to my high school," he said, making a small smile flutter on her lips.

She rolled her eyes to cover up how teary they were. "Oh, please. You wouldn't have even noticed me."

"I notice you more than I've ever noticed anyone else," he informed her, his tone heavy now as his determination to prove this to her grew. "You are like a beacon to me. It doesn't matter where you're at. I can feel your presence, Felicity. I'm drawn to you. Even before we ever spoke... there was just something about you."

Her eyes watered a little more, before she nodded, swallowing and giving him a small smile. "You always know the right thing to say, don't you?"

"I'm getting better at it," he joked, remembering all of the times he'd screwed up things between them because of his choice of words. "I just want you to know that I meant every word of what I said. My connection to you scares me sometimes, because I've never felt it before with anyone else. Its been weeks since our first conversation, yet I can't picture what my life was like before that... before you."

Felicity met his eyes, letting out a chuckle that sounded forced. "You know, you're not allowed to say things like that if you aren't planning on staying the night," she informed him, and he breathed out a laugh.

"And you're not allowed to tempt me with staying the night when you know I will blow off all of my priorities to do just that if you ask me nice enough," he returned, his tone joking, when he was being dead serious.

He would abandon everything in a heartbeat for her, and if that was supposed to scare him, it didn't. Her eyes glazed over with something he liked, and he knew she was tempted to see how true his statement was. Luckily, she didn't test him, and just changed the subject to something less heated.

"So, I know we haven't talked about this, but the meeting for project cuts is on Monday," she began, looking a little cautious. "I don't hold any resentment towards that part of our past anymore, so I hope you don't think I'm going to be upset with you about it."

He thought about what to say, but all he could think to do was kiss her. So, he did just that. He pressed his lips to hers so suddenly, that she gasped in shock, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth. It was quick and head-spinning. And when he pulled back, she blinked at him a few times in surprise, her lips twitching.

"Wow, I was not expecting that."

He laughed. "Felicity, the only thing concerning me about this meeting is my level of concentration with you sitting just across the conference table."

Her eyes glinted, and she laughed. "That's a tempting idea, actually."

His stomach sunk, and he shook his head. "Felicity, that was a joke. Please do not actually go out of your way to distract me from that meeting."

"Why not?" she innocently asked. "All I have to do is announce the projects that I'm cutting. Afterwards, there will be a slight discussion about it, before they finally decide that I made the right calls. Meanwhile, all you have to do is act like your paying attention, when really, you'll be under my control."

"I already am under your control," he responded, his mouth going dry at the way she described their Monday meeting going.

She tucked her lower lip between her teeth, her eyes still twinkling with amusement. "It was just an idea."

He closed his eyes, exhaling at the affect she had on him. It really was insane, and she was starting to realize just how much she could do to him without even trying. At this point, Oliver was ready to cancel the meeting with Walter the next day, and just go back to Felicity's place. The only thing stopping him was the fear of how badly that would look on his part.

"It's getting late," she observed, gesturing towards the exit. "You wanna go now?"

He nodded, getting to his feet and waiting for her to do the same. They threw their trash away, walking out of the ice cream shop with their hands grasping each other's. Oliver swung his arm back and forth lazily, his entire body warmed from just the small amount of skin he was touching of her's. When they were in his car again, he drove off, their hands still locked on top of the center console.

They drove on in silence, and when they reached her apartments, he walked her to her door. They lingered outside for a while, just kissing softly, her lips against his nothing insane, which he was grateful for. Her back was pressed into her door, and he stroked her cheek with his fingers as he kissed her, pulling back with a fuzzy mind.

"Good luck with your meeting tomorrow," she told him, earning another, longer kiss from him.

"I'll be thinking about you," he promised.

She unlocked her door, turning back to look at him with that teasing sparkle in her eyes. "I'll be thinking about you, too."

His mouth went dry, because the entirety of how she said that was undoubtedly meant to come across as something more than the way he was meaning it. All he'd meant by that was that she'd be on his mind between work and such, in a completely innocent way. The way she'd said it clearly implied a much more private, more sexual way.

"Felicity," he growled, craving with a passion so strong to have her show him just what she'd be doing while she thought about him.

She grinned, letting out a quick, "Goodnight, Oliver," before shutting her door on him.

He shook his head, smiling to himself as he made his way back to his car. He didn't want to jump the gun here, but he thought it was safe to say that he was falling for her.

_Hard._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review :)


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the reviews from the last chapter! They mean so much to me!

Oliver tapped his foot impatiently, his eyes glued to Felicity, not missing a breath. They were in the conference room, joined with about ten other people who were thankfully oblivious to the torturous manner she'd been dealing him. They all seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say about her projects, and Oliver had watched her talk, encouraging her with his eyes.

He was proud of her, proud that she'd risen to the occasion and handled a shitty situation in the most efficient manner that she could. It was yet another moment where he yearned to go public with her, and just let everyone know that someone like her was his. She'd done excellently, and as she'd predicted, the people in the room discussed her points and decided on the final projects that would be cut.

Oliver didn't give his full attention to them, knowing that they would see how well-structured Felicity's original plan was. Instead, he nodded his head when appropriate, his eyes jumping over to his gorgeous girlfriend every chance he knew he could get away with it. She'd caught onto his glances quickly, and he could tell from the way she'd hold herself differently.

Though her eyes didn't reach his, he saw the way her spine straightened. The other workers continued to discuss it all, and Felicity acted as though she were in need of a pen from the cup in the center of the table, even though he knew damn well that she'd brought at least three of them in that room with her. Her pens were always something he noticed, mainly because she tended to gnaw on the ends of them when she was really concentrated or bored.

When she pretended like she didn't have a single pen on her, Oliver had to watch in torture as she brought her body forward, her hand extending to take hold of one of the red pens in the cup. As she did that, her buttoned blouse opened up a little more at the top as the two ends of fabric stretched out, revealing the top of her cleavage to him. He felt his mouth go dry, his body sinking lower into his chair as he practically whined.

But she didn't stop there.

No, while the idiots in the conference room with them carried on, she pretended to act completely engaged in it all, following the voices of whoever was making their point with her eyes. She brought the red pen to her lips, and he just _knew_ , she was going to drive him up the wall in there. She'd joked about messing with him during the meeting on their date, but he didn't think she was serious.

Now, he was suffering from calling her bluff, breath quickening as her plump lips wrapped around the top of the pen. The color blended in with her red lipstick, only magnifying the beauty of her mouth. Fuck, he needed her badly. It had been nearly a week since he'd had her, and his slacks were feeling so, _so_ tight as he watched her suck on the pen.

He wanted those lips somewhere else, wanted them wrapped around _something_ else. He refused to let his mind take him there, but the images were placed there anyways. Images of her on her knees in front of him, taking him in her mouth and sucking him hard. He could feel his blood rushing, his eyes zoned in on her lips, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair extra tightly.

He could just see her now, her palm flattening over the front of his pants, making him harder. She'd pop open the clasp to his slacks, dipping her hand beneath his belt and touching him softly. Those lips - _fuck_ , those lips - they'd linger around him, before sucking him whole.

"Mr. Queen?" one of the executives said, and Oliver felt his entire body sizzle as he tried to shake off his erotic thoughts.

"Um, what?" Oliver sputtered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

The man looked around the room, almost as if he couldn't believe he was being asked to repeat himself. "I asked you if you agreed with the projects Ms. Smoak chose to cut for the time being."

Oliver looked over to Felicity, only to find her staring back at him, her eyes glinting as though she knew exactly what she'd been doing to him. Then, as if to solidify his semi-irrational thoughts, her lips tugged up on one side, a smirk making its way on her face. His grit his teeth, and he knew then and there that she would be lingering behind after this meeting.

"I agreed with them from the start," Oliver answered, his voice surprisingly steady. "Is that all we needed to discuss?"

The group shared a look, before a woman spoke up, nodding. "Yes, Mr. Queen. That's all for today."

Walter stood first, gathering his things together and giving Oliver a kind smile. The rest of them began to get to their feet, and Oliver panicked, thinking that they'd assumed he hadn't heard a work of that meeting, which was completely untrue because he'd listened to every single word that came out of Felicity's mouth. He stood up, hiding his arousal behind his chair as he gathered some stance of importance.

"Ms. Smoak, I assume you'll be keeping everyone updated on the status of your department?" Oliver questioned, his tone as casual as if he were taking to any other employee. "I'm sure we all would appreciate being informed."

She nodded her head, responding to him as if all he were was just her boss. "Of course, Mr. Queen. I'll do that."

He swore his pants tightened even further at the use of his last name, and he had to grip the back of the chair. "Ms. Smoak, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to talk with you a little further. Is there any chance you can stay behind?"

Her lips twitched just barely, and he glanced around to make sure no one was raising any suspicion towards their interactions. "Of course I can."

She stood in her same place, holding her folders to her chest as she waited for the room to clear out. Oliver watched her with a raised eyebrow, getting a rise from the way she shifted under his gaze. It wasn't until the last person left that room, closing the door behind her, that Oliver felt that rush of anticipation shoot up his spine, and he forced himself to not grind her into the wall.

"Did you think that was funny?" he asked, being as blunt as possible.

She actually cackled, and he knew right away that she was gaining her confidence back. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Queen."

He closed his eyes, placing a hand over his face as he fought for control. She was seriously the only woman to ever affect him like this, and he had no idea how to handle her. He stepped away from the chair, and his feet automatically led him to her.

Her gasp filled his mouth as he pressed her against the wall, causing all of her folders to sway to the ground. His tongue swept through her mouth, pushing past her lips and making his lips vibrate with her moan. Her hands swept into his hair, tugging him close, so close his mind went dizzy. She fought his tongue with her own, tangling and prodding.

He snarled when she dug her nails into his scalp, nipping at her lips until they were swollen. His hands ran up and over her blouse, his fingertips pushing into her as he rubbed his bulge into her thigh. She let out a whimper when he spread her legs using his knees, thrusting against her desperately.

"Have you been thinking about me?" she prompted, pulling his mouth off of hers momentarily to ask him that.

He nodded his head, kissing sloppily down her neck. "Yes."

Her breathy laugh made his heart stutter, as he focused on zipping her skirt down. "Mmm, how long?" she breathed, scraping her nails over his neck and making him groan heavily.

"Too long," he answered, picking her up off the ground and forcing her legs around his waist. His hips bucked wildly now, needing to relive some of the pressure from inside his slacks. "Have you been thinking about me?"

She moaned at his ministrations, her head falling back and he bit back the urge to mark her neck. It was just way to risky for anyone to spot those and start asking questions. He could only get away with it in the places he knew were for his eyes only. So, he kissed the top of her breast, sucking at the light skin roughly. She moaned, arching into his mouth.

"I...I thought about you..." she panted, completely wrapping herself around him. "Oliver, I did..."

He growled, holding her to him with one hand as he moved them over to the conference table. Setting her down on top of it, he ripped her skirt away, planting himself right back between her legs. Her arms banded around his neck, and all he could think about while he kissed her was how she said she'd thought about him. He wanted - no, fuck, he _needed_ \- to see how she did it.

"Show me," he demanded, and he broke away from her lips just in time to catch the flicker of surprise in her eyes. "Felicity, show me what you did when you thought of me."

She swallowed, her eyes locked with his. "Oliver..."

He brushed the stray hairs behind her ears, framing her face in his hands. "Touch yourself for me, Felicity."

He could see it in her eyes that no one had ever asked this of her before. She'd never shown anyone else how she pleasured herself in private, and something inside of him roared to life at the thought of being the only person to see her get herself off. Her jaw was hanging slightly, and he placed a finger over her chin, looking deep into her eyes.

"Okay," she whispered, and his eyelids felt drugged as he watched her lower her hand between her legs, not yet removing her panties.

Her breath caught when her fingers landed over herself through the thin lace, and he felt his own breath quicken as his throat dried. Slowly, she rubbed a circle into herself, and his jaw locked with the effort to keep from exploding right then and there. The sight of her doing this... it was seriously the hottest thing he'd ever seen. She rubbed a little harder, her fingers speeding up as well, and his eyes studied her every facial expression.

Her lips parted, her eyes fluttering as she built herself up, and he found himself with a challenge as he internally fought over watching her, or her hand. So, as he moved back and forth between the two, he could feel himself straining in his slacks. Blindly, he unfastened his belt, bringing down his zipper and reaching into them.

He sighed in relief when he pulled himself free, and he looked to Felicity to find her staring down at him, her lower lip between her teeth as she rubbed even harder now. Oliver groaned at the sight, stroking himself lightly, continuing to watch her get off. A desire like no other burned inside of him, and he suddenly needed a whole lot more than just his hands on himself.

"Felicity," he heaved, and she acknowledged him with a small moan. "Felicity... I need more."

She didn't stop, but she took his hand in her available one, leading it to her aching core. He felt his body shake with desire, his fingers lining up along hers as he met her pace in a matter of seconds. Groaning, he felt how wet she was, soaking through her panties in a way that showed him just how aroused he made her. With his fingers overlapping hers, he was able to apply more pressure to her, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Shit," she gasped, using her other hand to clutch onto his shoulder.

He grit his teeth, focusing solely on grinding his fingers against her, watching her start to crumble right before his eyes. "You had me fucking thinking about this all weekend," he told her, pressing firmly against her sensitive clit.

"Oliver," she cried, but he held her in place, knowing she was close.

"You don't even know what you do to me, do you, Felicity?" he questioned, huffing out each word in beat with his hand. "You don't know how you get inside my head, until all I can think about is you. Did you know what you were doing to me inside of that meeting?"

She let out a low whine, grasping onto him desperately as her hips searched his hand for the friction it was so generously supplying. "No."

Oliver actually managed a scoff, knowing how badly she wanted him to tell her. She knew that she'd been driving him mad in there, but even in a position as they were currently in, she still refused to give him the upper hand. Well, he was going to fall victim to her scheme, and tell her just exactly what was going through his head.

"Watching you strut around this conference, just so confident in what you had to say, is what triggered me first. I know I was in there with a bunch of old, close-minded snobs, but I wanted them to know. I wanted them to see," he explained, hovering his lips right over her pulse spot, licking a hot line over the point, "that you are mine."

"Fuck," she moaned, bucking onto his hand with a speed that he effortlessly matched. "I'm so close."

He smirked, of course she was. "Then you reached over for that damn pen I knew you didn't need, and you're lucky I didn't spread you out on this conference table right then and there."

"Ah- I'm... I'm," she sputtered, her face lighting with her peak.

She choked out another moan, throwing her head back as her orgasm ripped through her, making her walls tighten around his fingers. He pumped them still, guiding her through it, his face lit with admiration as he watched her come. She was breathing heavily, watching him with hooded eyes as she came down from her high. He smiled down at her, removing his hand, and inserting one of his slick fingers into his mouth.

Her eyes zoned in on it, lips parted. Oliver didn't even have time to be smug about it, before she was shoving him back, jumping down from the conference table, and dropping to her knees in front of him. She wrapped her hand around him, and he nearly bit his own finger at the shot of pleasure that traced his spine. She gave him another little shove against his abdomen, and he stumbled back, catching himself in a chair.

Taking position between his legs, she held him in her hand again, stroking lightly. He felt his world begin to spin, and his eyelids fluttered, his heart pounding through his chest.

"Fuck, Felicity," he groaned, her hand freezing to grip him at his base.

Her lips wrapped around him suddenly, and he tossed his head back, overwhelmed by the sensation. Slowly, she sucked more and more of him between her lips, and each inch was like a nail in his coffin. He was completely at her mercy, and just trying not to explode was becoming a bigger challenge than he'd ever known in his entire life.

"Do you know what it's like for me?" she asked, stroking his glistening cock with her soft hand. "To see all of these women ogle at you, and know that I can't mark you as mine?"

She placed her lips right below his navel, sucking the tight skin there and surely marking him. He grit out a curse, thrusting upwards and gliding over her neck. She pulled back, now wearing a smirk, and he could barely muster up the strength to open his eyes to watch her as she took him back into her mouth, taking so much of him down so quickly, he had to grip the armrests to hold it all inside of him.

She bobbed her head, hollowing out her cheeks around him. Again, he cursed, clenching his jaw. His eyes took all of her in. Her skin was flushed still from her orgasm, and her hair was falling out of its ponytail from their roughness. Her glasses sparkled at him, the glass glaring off of something. Her nails were painted a deep red, matching the lipstick that was sheathed around him.

Pulling back, she stroked him harder, her breasts begging to be freed from that tight blouse she had on. "You wouldn't let me touch you like this ever since I gave our relationship the green light," she reminded him, and he nodded, knowing that he refused to have her do this to him because all the other times had been about what _he_ could do for _her_. "I know you wanted it to be all about me, but what you didn't realize is that this is for me, too. Getting to do this to you, _for_ you... it's a serious turn-on, Mr. Queen."

He couldn't even breathe. She'd stolen his breath away, and his lungs were really starting to burn, but she was just so mind-fucking, he couldn't take it. She didn't wait for a response, and something told him she wasn't expecting one. Her lips suctioned over him again, her mouth so warm and welcoming. He sighed as she took him deeper, scrounging up the courage to plant a hand on her head, his fingers framing her face.

He didn't force her down, or try to give her more than she could handle at the moment. No, he just held her face, looking down at her as she literally blew him away. He kept groaning out her name, absolutely mystified by the fact that she was his, and feeling himself coil tighter with each passing second. Roughly, she took him back as deep as she could, and he felt himself at the back of her throat.

"Fuck," he grit, hissing through his teeth and knowing that if she were to do that again, he was a goner.

Her head came back up, her tongue swirling over his tip and shallowly dipping into the tiny hole there. He jumped in his seat, ignoring the snort of humor she let out at his reaction. Again, and again, her tongue circled around him, much like what his had done when it had been him between her legs. His body tightened at the thought, his mind conjuring up the image of Felicity spread out for him, his mouth overtaking her as she cried out his name.

He knew he was close. Hell, he'd been close before she'd even touched him. That's how incredibly she affected him. His body raised from the chair in jerky movements, so close to what it needed that it hurt. Felicity was apparently reading him like a book, because she dipped her head lower, taking him all the way to the back of her throat again- and swallowing.

There was no stopping it even if he tried. He let go, groaning as his release shot into her mouth and down her throat. She swallowed every last drop of him, making it seem like the easiest thing in the world. He swore, he almost got hard all over again from that. His shoulders sagged as he slumped back into the chair, and she gave a few more bobs of her head before pulling back.

"How was that?" she cheekily asked, putting her skirt back on.

Oliver rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. "You almost fucking killed me, that's how it was."

She giggled, and he reached for her, tugging her onto his lap. She was sitting on him now, and his hands slid under her skirt as his lips met hers. His tongue ravaged her mouth, tasting himself on her. Somehow, that made it even more erotic, and he hummed against her lips because of it. She pulled back after a few seconds, and he knew it was only because she didn't have the time to start something again.

"I really have to get back to work," she mumbled against his lips.

He exhaled, releasing his grip on her wrists. "That's not a very hot thing to say."

She laughed, getting off his lap. He stood up, pulling his pants up, and fixing them. Felicity waited for him, and when he was done, she gave him another kiss, this one less heated then the ones before.

"You know, that was really risky of us to pull something like that," she acknowledged.

He shrugged. "Not really. Those people never have a reason to come back after a meeting, and this entire floor is all mine."

She rolled her eyes, grinning. "This entire building is all yours."

He smirked, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Is the truth of your pursuing me finally coming out, Ms. Smoak?"

She scoffed. "I believe it was you who was pursuing me, Mr. Queen."

He smiled, resisting the urge to take her on the table just like he'd wanted to do. Instead, he let her go with another long kiss, watching her walk away with a grin so wide, it hurt. It took him a long while before he could think of something other than her.

* * *

Felicity typed rapidly, wanting to get through the easy work so that she'd be able to leave at a decent hour tonight. It was Wednesday afternoon, and she'd just returned from lunch with Caitlin. She hadn't seen Oliver since their interaction in the conference room earlier that week. Tuesday hadn't been a good day for her since she'd had to tell her company about the budget cuts and which projects were getting cut. Oliver had given her her space, understanding.

But now she was sick of space.

She'd thought about risking a visit to his office earlier that morning, but according to his assistant, he was going to be in meetings all day. The only free time he was going to have was towards the end of the day, and by then Felicity could just wait for him to drop by after hours. She heaved another sigh of frustration, hating herself for how attached she'd grown to him after only such a short amount of time.

Just then, a little window popped up on her screen, a message written on it. Felicity always got IMs from people in her department, normally with them asking her for help on super easy things. She averted her gaze to the message, and her heart started pounding when she read who it was from: Oliver Queen.

_I've been stuck in meetings all day. I miss you._

She grinned so wide, typing back as fast as she could. Still, it felt like her fingers couldn't move fast enough to type the simple reply she was sending to him.

_I miss you, too. I was going to stop by your office, but your assistant told me you were all booked for today._

He wrote back after mere seconds, and she scooted her chair in to be closer to the screen.

_I have to go back to my meeting in a few minutes. We took a quick break, and I just wanted to talk to you. How's work going?_

Her heart thrummed, and she tried to fight that overwhelming passion she felt for him. She realized it wasn't going to work when it only continued to grow. Then, she figured out that she didn't want to fight it.

_Trying to focus is hard when I can't stop thinking about you._

She waited for him to write back, each passing second making her more nervous. She thought that maybe he'd been called back into the meeting suddenly, and didn't have time to say goodbye. Or, she thought he'd read her message, and didn't find it necessary to respond. In actuality, it had only been about thirty seconds, but that felt like an eternity to her.

_Go out with me Friday night? Please?_

She reread the message about a zillion times, feeling her entire body heat up with so many different feelings, she couldn't hang onto just one. The way he could make her feel after just a few words was insane. And she was sure he didn't even know it.

_Nothing would make me happier._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the response to the last chapter! We only delve deeper into Oliver and Felicity's relationship from here. A lot of you guys are worried that something bad is going to happen and all I'm going to say is... You have to keep reading to find out! :)

Their third date was at a small restaurant just outside of the city, where paparazzi were far from. The workers were all in their fifties, and could not care less that Oliver was the owner of a multi-billion dollar company. Felicity loved the date, as she always did, and loved the fact that she got to spend time with Oliver even more. She swore that the longer she spent with him, the deeper she sunk.

After their amazing dinner, he'd driven them back to her place, where they'd occupied themselves for the entire night, spending most of Saturday sleeping until Oliver had to go back to his place to get ready for lunch with Thea. He insisted Felicity go with him to eat with his sister, but Felicity was still a little uncomfortable around someone so important to Oliver.

Now, it was Wednesday, and the office charades between her and Oliver just kept going. If it wasn't the looks they shared during meetings, then it was him feeling her up from behind on the elevator. And when he was feeling extra risky, Oliver would come into her office, and make out with her for ten minutes or so. Felicity would not be able to deny how deep she was in.

Sara even caught onto it. When Felicity had met Sara for lunch on Saturday, they'd had a brief conversation about Oliver. And by brief, that meant that Sara poked and prodded her for half an hour before Felicity finally broke down and told Sara whatever she wanted to know. It only took about five minutes for Sara to get sick of it though, and she was a little shocked to hear about the way Oliver was acting.

Felicity knew that Oliver's past with women was sketchy. Never, had he truly committed to someone, and she knew that his behavior towards her and their relationship should surprise her. What was surprising, however, was how little it fazed her. She trusted him completely, and that day he told her he wasn't that guy anymore, she realized he was right.

Felicity sighed, really tempted to take the elevator up to his floor and pay him a little visit. Her workload was minuscule compared to other days, and a distraction as great as him would really be appreciated right now. Her phone rang, and she fought back her groan, knowing that the call could be important, and she needed to at least sound like she didn't want to gouge her eyes out.

"Felicity Smoak, how may I help you?" she greeted, multitasking by typing her reports at the same time.

"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me with a little problem I'm having?" the voice on the other end asked, and Felicity was so distracted by the error message displaying on her screen, that she was only giving him half of her attention.

"Hmm?" she prompted, rapidly imputing keys to get the error message to clear away.

"What are you wearing?"

Felicity definitely hear that, and she felt the phone slip from her grasp, nearing tumbling to the floor. She caught it just in time, bringing it back to her ear as her entire body heated over in a thick flush. There was a small chuckle from the other side, which she immediately registered as Oliver's. Grinning, she tried to play it cool and act as though she didn't almost just have a heart attack.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to need to repeat the question."

She heard the smile in his voice as he repeated, "What are you wearing?"

"White blouse," she answered, her other task now completely forgotten.

He hummed on the other end of the line. "Mmm, the one with the polka dots?"

"Yes," she confirmed, grinning at the fact that he knew her wardrobe so well. "With the black skirt that has the slit along my right leg."

He groaned, and she couldn't help but giggle at the noise. "Well, Ms. Smoak, I think that I'll have to drop by and verify this information."

"That's perfectly understandable," she agreed, getting that fluttering feeling in her stomach when she knew she was going to see him soon. "When do you think you'll be able to come by and 'verify'."

"Hopefully, within the next hour. I have a break scheduled, and there is only one place I want to spend it," he told her, and he sounded like there was more he wanted to say, so she waited. "Actually, Felicity, I had something I wanted to ask you. It's, uh... Well, it's kind of important."

She realized their little game had stopped, and straightened in her seat. "Okay, what is it?"

"Well I know that we've been dating for a while now, and we always end up back at your place," he began, clearing his throat. "I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place this Friday. I could cook for you and just... If you don't want to, or-"

"Oliver, I'd love to," she interrupted, her eyes watering from how serious he took their relationship. "Honestly, that sounds perfect."

He let out a breathy noise. "Okay, good."

Felicity smiled, sensing that their conversation was over, but not wanting to hang up. Apparently, Oliver was feeling the same way because she kept hearing his even breathing on the other end. Then, she remembered just how worked up he had gotten her before his purpose for calling had been revealed. Smirking, she leaned forward in her seat.

"So, Mr. Queen, besides cooking, just how do you expect us to occupy our time?" she prompted.

"Let's just say that you shouldn't expect to be wearing clothes for too long," he answered, his voice sounding ten octaves deeper.

She felt her heart rate increase, the intensity being magnified due to the work environment. "I'm going to need details."

"Felicity, don't get me all worked up if you know I won't be able to do anything about it," he warned.

She only smiled, putting a fake pout in her voice. "But, Oliver, getting you worked up is one of my favorite things to do."

He let out something that sounded like a whine, before speaking again. "Okay, you want to do this? Fine. When you come over to my house on Friday, I am going to take you in every room there. I am going to spread you wide for me, and have you in every position we can conjure up. You will come so many times, Felicity Smoak, you won't be able to walk straight for days after."

"Okay, maybe we shouldn't do this here," she sputtered, his words going straight to her core so that she had to clamp her legs together.

"Oh, no," he disagreed. "You started this, and now you're going to finish it. Felicity, do you know what I'm going to do to you when you're in my house?"

"What?" she whispered, her eyelids fluttering closed.

"I'm going to throw your legs over my shoulders and eat you out until you can't possibly take another orgasm. I'm going to kiss and taste every inch of your body, right before taking you hard, just how I know you like it."

She whimpered at the thought. "Oliver-"

"On our first date, I was tempted to have you against your wall, but I didn't. We have yet to do that, but I can assure you that this weekend, I am going to take you against every wall of my house. Your legs will start to feel at home around my waist. Then, I'll-"

He stopped speaking, and she furrowed her brows. "Oliver?"

It took him a few seconds to respond, and when he did, his tone was wavering. "Felicity, someone is listening."

Her stomach dropped, and her heart was racing for an entirely different reason now. "Oliver, what do you mean? How do you know that?"

"Look at your phone," he instructed. "Do you see that? The little red light? That means someone else is on the line."

Felicity looked down, and sure enough, there was the red light. She swallowed, knowing that the only other people with access to their lines were Barry, and Oliver's assistant. But Felicity guessed that if Oliver could see his assistant from where he was sitting, then he wouldn't sound so unsure of who it was listening in on them. That meant only one other person could be behind it, and she got to her feet without another word to Oliver, walking to her door, and yanking it open.

Her eyes landed on Barry, who was frozen in place, his eyes widened in terror. The phone was set in front of him, and he had on hand on it, pining it to the desk. Felicity approached him, both nervous for what he could do to them with this knowledge, and angry that he'd been listening in on something so private. Grabbing his free hand, she tugged him out of his chair, pulling him into her office and shutting the door behind her.

He was still wearing a look of shock, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Barry, what the hell did you think you were doing?" she demanded, trying to stifle her anxiousness. When he didn't answer, she snapped out his name. "Barry!"

He jumped, his eyes flashing up to hers. "Wh-What?"

"I asked you what the hell you were doing, listening in on a private conversation like that?"

"Oh, I-I didn't... I mean, I did, but... What I'm trying to say is..."

She was furious now, and paced her office. "Barry!"

"Ms. Smoak, I wasn't listening in. I was on the phone with a client, and I saw that there was another person on the line. I thought I'd put someone on hold, so I switched over to that call. I promise you I put the phone down as soon as I heard... that."

Felicity looked down, knowing that he was telling her the truth. "What exactly did you hear, Barry?"

He swallowed, wiping his hands on his pants. "Well, I heard Mr. Queen tell you that he was going to..." Barry cleared his throat. "Mr. Queen told you he was going to spread you out and-"

"Okay!" Felicity interrupted, cringing. "Okay, I get it. Wow, I don't even know... Barry, you have to understand. This isn't about sex with us. We _really_ like each other, and the reason we don't want anyone to know is that it could really badly impact this company. With all of the investors backing out, the last thing we need is something like this."

"Ms. Smoak, I understand," Barry promised. "I would never tell anyone about this. This is none of my business. What's going on between you and Mr. Queen is your business only."

Felicity felt her eyes water, before bringing Barry in for a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Barry. You have no idea how much this means to me. I really thought I was going to be the cause of this huge scandal for a second."

Barry chuckled, giving her a small smile. "You're welcome. Can you just make sure Mr. Queen knows that I wasn't trying to be a pervert or anything. I really did put the phone down after that."

Felicity felt her face heat, nodding. "Yeah, I'll do that."

"Thanks." Barry shifted, pointing towards her door. "I'm going to get back to work now."

She nodded. "Right, of course. I'll make sure any conversations Mr. Queen and I have remain on my personal phone."

"That would be great," Barry joked, opening her door and giving her one last smile before leaving.

Felicity placed her hands over her face, exhaling loudly. Things had almost gone to shit just then, and she needed a few moments to calm down. Her and Oliver really needed to be more careful. Thinking of Oliver reminded her of their date this Friday, and she grinned now. She could not wait for Friday to come, and she was going to hold him up to every promise he'd made over that phone.

* * *

Felicity pulled up to Oliver's house, really hoping she'd followed his directions correctly. All of the houses in that neighborhood were completely gorgeous and way out of her price-range, and she knew she should have figured as much. His car in the driveway was what confirmed her being in the correct location, and she pulled up alongside it.

Since he'd basically confirmed her staying the night, she packed an overnight bag. However, she wasn't planning on bringing it inside until that was actually the case. He'd never brought an overnight bag when he'd stayed the night at her place, so she didn't want to embarrass herself by doing it first.

She stayed in her car, preparing herself for what was about to happen. She was going to go into Oliver's house, and enter completely unfamiliar territory. All the other times, they'd been under her roof, in her home. She'd felt completely comfortable there, and knew she was at an advantage. Now, she didn't have that, and it worried her a little.

Shaking her head, she pushed those insecurities away. She opened her car door, shutting it almost soundlessly. It was already dark outside since she'd gone home after work to change and get her things. Making any unnecessary noise in a neighborhood as nice as this one definitely wasn't something she wanted to do. She walked up to his front door, ringing the bell that was placed there.

It took him less than ten seconds to answer the door, swinging it open with a smile on his face. He had a bowl cradled in one arm, some thick mixture stuck inside of it. Felicity felt her nerves immediately ease at the sight of him, and tried to ignore the way her heart swelled.

"Hey," he greeted, stepping aside. "Come in, please."

She did as he said, closing the door behind her. Her eyes scanned over the enormous house, taking in all of the items inside of it that were probably worth more than her entire apartment. It was an amazing house, but it felt so... Oliver. She loved it already.

"Wow, when you said you were going to cook, I didn't think you were being serious," she admitted, following him into his kitchen where tons of food was occupying the island in the center of the large kitchen.

He laughed, walking back over to the stove, and continuing to mix whatever was in that bowl of his. "I can cook, Felicity."

She clicked her teeth, earning a look from him over his shoulder. "I'll be the judge of that."

Oliver continued cooking, and she took a seat at the island, just watching him. He really seemed to know what he was doing, so much so that his movements became mesmerizing. She stared as he poured that goop into a cupcake pan, and she realized he was making dessert as well. After he placed it into the oven, he set his hands on his hips, turning to face her with an accomplished smile on his face.

She had to cover her mouth to keep the giggle from escaping as she saw the smeared batter on his cheek. Oliver gave her a strange look, making his way over to her with furrowed brows.

"What is it?" he asked, turning her in the swivel chair so that she was facing him.

She pressed her lips together. "Nothing. It's just that you may have gotten a little batter on your face."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, leaning in closer. "Oh really?"

"Yeah," she whispered, his proximity making her blood rush.

He looked like he was going to go wash it off, but she cupped the back of his neck, bringing his face down to hers. Sticking her tongue out, she brushed it over the delicious mess on his face, pulling back to find him looking both flustered and aroused. She shrugged innocently, shrinking away from him due to the pure hunger in his darkened eyes.

"I like cake batter," she justified, and he smirked, surprisingly breaking away from her bubble.

Her heart thrummed as he made his way over to the bowl that had held the batter, picking it up, and returning to her. She felt her lashes hood as he dipped his finger into the leftover mixture, placing it at the slit of her lips. She parted them, sucking his finger into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around his finger, her eyes locked with his blackened ones.

Suddenly, he dipped his head down, quickly removing his finger and replacing it with his tongue. It wrapped around hers, tasting the same batter she'd just licked from him. He groaned into her mouth, framing her face as their lips rushed together. When he pulled back, he was grinning, his eyes returning back to their normal shade.

"Felicity, I-" he stopped short, the light dimming in his eyes as he seemed to consider what he had almost just said. Then, he let out a breath, his lips just barely slanted upwards. "I _really_ like you."

Her breath caught. She knew what he had almost said. It was obvious. He may have thought he'd been clever about it, but she knew better. He'd been about to tell her that he loves her. _He_ loves _her_.

Oliver Queen loves her.

The oven timer beeped, and he pulled back, looking relieved. "Looks like dinner is done," he observed, turning off the timer, and checking on the food. "Would you mind opening the wine?"

She cleared her throat, forcing herself to move past the moment. "Yeah, of course."

Felicity stood up, going for the bottle of red he had out on the counter, using the corkscrew to open it. Oliver muttered something to her about the glasses being in the dining room already, while he focused on serving their plates. She still had no idea what he'd made, but it smelled delicious.

Once she had the wine poured, she took a seat at the table, admiring the beautiful candles Oliver had lit that sat in the center of it. She waited for him to join her, and soon she saw him, approaching her with two plates balanced on his hands. He set them down, rushing over to the stereo he had in the living room, hitting a button on it before soft jazz started playing through the small speakers spread around the house.

"Oliver, this is incredible," she fawned, making him duck his head.

"Well, it's the first time I've ever cooked for anyone besides my sister," he admitted, taking a seat in the chair closest to her, which happened to be at the head of the table. "I wanted to make an impression."

She flushed. "You definitely did that."

Felicity kept her gaze on the table, jumping slightly when she felt Oliver's hand on her face. He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, and her eyes met his, the breath getting knocked out of her. He was staring back at her with so much emotion, she never wanted to look away.

"Sometimes I can't believe you're actually mine," he whispered, breaking the eye contact and retracting his hand when she didn't respond.

Her throat tightened, and she felt her eyes begin to water. Before she could do something that would ruin all of the hard work Oliver had put in to making sure tonight was perfect, he was speaking.

"I hope you don't mind grilled chicken," he said, and for the first time, she looked at her plate. "I cut it into strips, and mixed it in with the pasta. This is one of the few meals I know I have mastered."

She raised her eyebrows at him, and his eyes sparkled back at her. "Is that right? Well, I'll just have to test it myself."

Oliver gestured towards her plate with an extended arm. "Be my guest. No holding back. Felicity, be brutally honest with your opinion of it. I can handle it, I promise."

She laughed, reaching for the fork, and picking up a bite of the mouth-watering food. His eyes never left her, tracking every little move she made. It would have made her uncomfortable, had she not enjoyed his attention so much. The moment the flavors hit her tongue, her eyes shut, her mouth closing as she moaned at the incredible tastes.

"That good, huh?" Oliver prompted, chuckling.

Felicity nodded, swallowing down the bite. "What gave it away?"

"Well, you make the same noise when I have my face between your legs," he pointed out, making her eyes snap open as she gasped. He shrugged nonchalantly, taking a bite of his food. "I think this is one of my best ones yet."

She decided to fold her lips and brush away his previous comment. She'd get him back after dinner, when the timing would be better. All she knew was that she wasn't about to throw away all of the hard work he'd put into making tonight special. He knew that, too. The worse he played around, the more relentless she was going to be with him.

They made small talk for a while, and he finally let up with her. She enjoyed talking to him so much, because he always had something interesting to say. Well, she was pretty sure she would love to listen to him even if he were ranting on about dirt. His voice was just like silk to her, especially when it was sounding from right near her ear, his words the good kind of dirty.

When they'd finished their meals, Oliver brought out the dessert, insisting she try some even though she was completely stuffed. It turned out, he was just good at everything, and his baking skills almost were enough to make her marry him on the spot. Felicity hardly touched her wine, and she knew that was because she needed to be completely coherent tonight, what with all of Oliver's filthy promises to her and everything.

Oliver, on the other hand, was on his third glass, his words coming out a little slurred. Felicity smiled when he'd say something a little strange, since she knew it was the alcohol taking its tole on him. It was after he finished that glass that she finally sparked up a conversation that would lead to so much more than just talking.

"So," she began, leaning forward on her elbows, "are you planning on giving me a tour of the bachelor pad, or what?"

He hung his head in a silly laugh, his dimples on full display when he looked up at her. "Felicity, this is hardly a bachelor pad."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes humorously. "Please, Oliver. You don't have to pretend like there haven't been other women in here. This place is absolutely gorgeous, so why wouldn't you want to show it off?"

Despite the alcohol, his face turned serious. "Felicity, I haven't had a women here who wasn't family or a friend besides you. Ever."

"What?" she breathed, her lips parting in a silent gasp.

"I bought this place shortly after my father's death, when I became CEO of Queen Consolidated and had to get my act together. The day I took responsibility for my family's legacy, was the day I said goodbye to that part of me who indulged only in women and booze. I moved here, and the only people I wanted to know the location of it were close friends and family."

She stared at him, a crinkle between her brows. "But you've been with women since then, right?"

He sighed. "Yeah, but... they don't matter. They weren't important enough for me to bring them here."

"And I am?"

"Felicity, you are more important than any of my past relationships, if you can even call them that," he promised, and she knew that this was more than just the alcohol talking. "I hold my house in a very sacred place, so it really doesn't surprise me that having you here feels so right."

Taking his hand in hers, she stood up, and he followed her lead. "Come on, then. Let's christen all the rooms."

He grinned, pulling her to him and taking her lips between his own. "Gladly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review! :)


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait. I was going through some things, and hopefully that's all over so that I can focus back on writing. Thank you so much for the patience and for sticking with this story.

"You're evil."

He grinned against her lips, bucking his lower half roughly against hers. She moaned, arching upwards, and giving him the perfect opportunity to glide his lips along the smooth skin of her neck. Her nails dug into his hair, tugging and tugging, keeping him pinned to her so that his hands could trace over every curve of her body, memorizing solely by touch.

"If I was evil, I hardly doubt you'd be letting me do this," he countered, pushing her breasts up with his palms, kneading her through the shirt that he had no idea why she'd even bothered to put on.

Ever since she'd showed up last night for dinner, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. After they'd eaten and he'd told her that she was the only woman he'd brought back to his house, they'd drifted off into his bedroom, not leaving the entanglement of each other's arms for the entirety of the night. He'd taken her so many times, she didn't even have the energy to turn over.

Then, they woke up, only to repeat the process they'd started the night before. Food was the only thing that made them take a momentary pause in their sexcapades, and even then, they didn't leave the house. Oliver had ordered them a pizza, and they managed to hold off on mauling each other out of respect for the delivery man. They'd nearly scarfed down the pizza whole, not even realizing how badly their bodies had needed the energy.

Afterwards, Felicity just had to remind him of the promise he'd made to her over the phone, the one where he swore to take her against every wall in his house. They'd had yet to fuck against the wall, and just the thought of him being the only thing keeping her body from touching the ground made the blood in his veins rush. He knew it had the same affect on her, if her insistence upon it was any indication.

Now, he had her flanked between himself and the wall of the hallway, his hips rotating into her while their lips met in a clash of tongue and teeth. Her feet were still, disappointingly, on the ground, but he planned on changing that very soon. If he could only get her damn shirt off...

"I don't know," she breathed, her eyes rolling back as he ground against her in just the right spot. "Back when I thought you were the most evil man alive, I still wanted to fuck you."

He groaned, burying his face into her neck as her words sunk into him. "If I had known that, I would have made a move sooner."

"I'm glad you didn't. The first time I had you, I was completely sure about it," she confessed. "I knew I wasn't going to have any regrets, and I'm still right about that. I don't regret a single thing about us."

Reattaching their lips, he let his eagerness take control, her words only fueling his need for her. The little whimpers she made against his lips from the mixture of his probing tongue and nipping teeth had him growling as he kept her pinned to the wall, his knee slipping between her parted legs. Her hips gyrated over the joint, and he could feel her wetness seeping through his cargo pants, considering how she'd decided to go pantie-less underneath those thin shorts.

Felicity's hands reached for his zipper, blindly getting it down and already working on yanking his pants off as well. He distracted her with his mouth, kissing her so thoroughly, he got lost in her lips. By the time he pulled away for air, she was already taking him out of his pants, stroking him in her hand. He growled, more than ready to just rip those little shorts of hers off and slide home.

But a serious thought struck him, and he placed his much larger hand over hers, stopping her from doing just that. She gave him a confused look, and he knew that if he didn't explain, she was going to try and do it again.

"Felicity, wait," he breathed, cursing in his head. "I don't have a condom."

She shook her head, crashing her lips back into his, making his mind spin with reckless thoughts. "It's okay," she managed to mumble out, the words buzzing more than just his lips.

He pulled back. "Really?" She bit her lip, nodding. "Well- Why... I mean, are you sure you're okay with this? I can go look for one. I think I- fuck, I think I have one in my nightstand."

They'd blown through so many, he couldn't even say that with certainty.

"Oliver, it's fine," she assured, actually grinning at him. "This won't be the first time we don't use one. Plus, I'm on the pill."

"I know, but... don't you mind?"

She sighed dramatically, kissing his lips softly. "If I did, I would have told you something. Oliver, I trust you."

He exhaled, completely overwhelmed by her. "I've never- I mean, I'm always on top of things like that. And you just... You affect me more than any person in the world. Just... just trust me on that."

"Prove it," she whispered, her tongue peeking out to glide over his bottom lip teasingly.

And Oliver didn't waste another second before he was pulling her shorts down, hiking her legs around his waist, letting her hover over his awaiting member, jerking his hips upwards and into her wet heat. They both groaned at the feeling, slumping into each other. Her walls took him all in, making him feel incredible, especially now that he had enough wit to comprehend that there was no latex separating them.

"This feels... fuck," Oliver groaned, his hands skimming the sides of Felicity's ass as he held her up. "Felicity..."

She shifted herself, the movement making them both moan again. He surged his hips into hers suddenly, and her hands immediately latched onto his shoulders, clinging to him as if she just _knew_ he was about to fuck the lights out of her. All of his nerves were screaming right now, and even one tiny movement from him in her had her entire body reacting in pleasure, that's how sensitive she was.

He smirked. "Hold on tight, Felicity."

* * *

Felicity rolled her eyes from behind her papers, tired of listening to one of the execs run on and on about the numbers. She knew they weren't looking too good. Sure, they'd improved, but not by anything to brag about. Oliver was very aware of this, and she knew how stressed he was about work. There were nights now where he'd just show up at her place, needing to hold her until he was ready to talk about it.

These people only brought it up to hurt him, because they still were under the impression that he didn't give a rat's ass about the company. It was such bullshit, especially since she knew how much he cared. He'd do anything for Queen Consolidated, and the fact that the ignorant bullies in that conference room couldn't see that really pissed her off.

"If we don't see some improvements soon, then this company is done for," the man concluded, throwing his hands up hopelessly.

Oliver nodded, and Felicity tried to catch his eye to show him that he had her full support in there. He needed it from someone.

"And as I said before, there are changes being made. You even said yourself, the numbers are going up. We only need one thing in order to see a real spike," Oliver said, keeping his tone even just as any professional would. "We are depending heavily on the branches out of state, and Walter is planning a trip out there to see how things are going. Would you like to talk a little about that, Walter?"

Walter straightened from across the table, folding his hands on top of one another. "The trip is meant to help guide the other branch in the right direction, image wise. Apparently, there have been some complaints about the overall tone of the place. It's a five day trip, and I leave on Monday."

"Are you going by yourself, Mr. Steele?" Martin asked, and Felicity stared at Walter, having always had a fondness for the man who'd hired and promoted her.

Walter cleared his throat. "That was the original plan, but I recently started toying with the idea of bringing Mr. Queen along with me."

Oliver's eyes flashed with surprise, and Felicity did her best to stifle her reaction to the suggestion of Oliver being gone for nearly a week. Her attachment to him was so palpable, the thought of not seeing him for that long sent waves of pain to her chest.

"Is that really necessary?" Oliver questioned, seeming more flustered by the thought than she was.

"Well, I think having the CEO there will greatly impact the visit," Walter explained, and the rest of the people began to murmur their agreement. "If we want to leave an impression worth following, your presence will surely be beneficial."

Oliver scratched his eyebrow, contemplating everything. Then, he nodded, looking at Walter. "Okay, I'll go. But while I'm gone, I'm putting Richard in charge."

Everyone looked towards Richard, the only person to speak even less than Felicity did at the meetings. It went without say that Richard was a huge part of why the company was still running. He'd worked alongside Robert, and he'd helped in training Oliver for the position. He was better with paper than he was with words, but even then, not a single person so much as made a face about Oliver's decision to have him in charge of the branch for five days.

"Thank you, Mr. Queen," Richard responded, his tone holding a muffled pride.

Oliver gave a brief nod of recognition, suddenly rising his his feet. "Okay, everyone. I'm going to notify the Metropolis branch right away, and let them know I'll be joining Walter. I believe that draws this meeting to an end. Thank you."

People shuffled out of there, but Felicity lingered back, pretending to take a while getting all of her things together. She needed to speak with Oliver, just to see how he was feeling about everything. She wasn't trying to be selfish, but not seeing him for five whole days sounded like some form of torture. It was good that they talked about this, right?

That was the healthy thing to do?

Walter approached Oliver before she could, asking him to come into his office. Oliver agreed, his eyes holding something uncertain behind them. Walter glanced Felicity's way, and her heart stopped. Something about the way he did that made Felicity feel like he knew. He knew she was screwing his step-son, and putting the reputation of the company at risk. But, how could he know? Oliver hadn't told him yet, had he?

An image of Moira Queen catching Oliver with his tongue down her throat popped into her brain, reminding her that it made all the sense in the world for Walter to know about them. Well, it looked like she wouldn't be talking to Oliver after all. But one look from him on her way out told her that they'd definitely be discussing it later.

Yeah, whatever she needed to say, it could wait.

* * *

Oliver followed Walter into his office, closing the door behind him. He took a seat in one of the chairs, facing Walter who sat behind his desk. It was common for them to talk things out after a meeting, but something felt different about the energy in the room this time. Walter wasn't speaking, only staring at him with scrutinizing eyes. Oliver shifted uncomfortably, crossing on leg over his knee.

"Should we get the Metropolis branch on the line?" he asked, the silence making him start to sweat.

Walter cleared his throat, setting his hands down. "Actually, Oliver, I'd like to have a little discussion with you before we get to that."

Oliver leaned back. "Okay."

"I realized that we have yet to speak of your relationship with Felicity Smoak," Walter began, jolting Oliver with the remembrance of Walter's knowledge of his feelings for her. "When your mother mentioned it, you made it sound as if it weren't a big deal. I've assumed as much since then, but now I'm thinking that's not really the case anymore."

Oliver tried to charm his way out of it, but he was struggling badly. "What, uh- What do you mean, Walter?"

"Well, besides the longing looks you two shoot each other when you think no one else is looking, there was what happened in the conference room today. Normally, you don't hesitate to go on the business trips. Today, I saw you glance over to Ms. Smoak when I suggested you come along with me on this one. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of what dating her could do to this company's image."

"You don't," Oliver assured quickly, nearly red from all of what Walter had caught. "Felicity and I have already had this conversation, and we've agreed to keep things hidden for the time being. Or, at least until the company isn't in such a bad place. And about the business trip, I just was feeling overwhelmed by the hostility in the room. They aren't exactly easy on me in there."

Walter conceded after a while, accepting his response. "I know it can be hard when everyone is expecting the worst, but we're working on changing that, remember?" Oliver nodded in agreement. "Great. Well, that's all I wanted to say about that matter, so I'm glad we got that all cleared up. Before we make this call, I just have one question."

Oliver swallowed nervously. "Okay?"

"How's it going? Are you happy?"

Walter cracked a smile, and Oliver felt his entire body relax. "Uh, yeah," he answered, meaning it with every inch of himself. "I'm happy, she's happy... Everything is just so... Honestly, it's incredible. I know it's early, but she's it for me, Walter. She is the one."

"That's really great to hear, Oliver. I've always liked Felicity," Walter replied, straightening in his seat. "Now, let's get back to making that call, shall we?"

Oliver smiled. "We shall."

* * *

"So, Walter knows?"

Oliver nodded, swallowing a bite of his food. "Walter knows."

Felicity already knew this, but having him confirm this made it feel all the more worse. Walter hadn't seemed to have a problem with it, but Felicity knew that he couldn't be happy about the risk they were putting on the company. Her stomach was in knots at the thought of Oliver's family not welcoming her, and all she really needed was Oliver's assurance.

"Oliver, how are you not freaking out about this?" she demanded, frustrated by how calm he was.

He shrugged, placing a hand over hers. "Felicity, there really isn't anything to freak out about. I spoke with Walter about our relationship. I told him that we're serious about each other, and explained that we won't be releasing our relationship to the public until the company is in a better place. He understands." Oliver rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, looking at her. "Besides, I thought we agreed that it was okay to tell our families."

"It is. I just thought that... I don't know. I just thought that we'd wait a little bit longer," she admitted.

Oliver's eyes fell, and he cleared his throat. "Oh, do you not think we're there yet?"

Felicity felt her nerves flare in panic, because that wasn't what she was saying at all. Her relationship with Oliver was moving fast, but it all just felt so natural. She'd already fallen for him, and the last thing she wanted him to think was that she wasn't as deep in as he was.

"No, I do," she promised. "I guess I was just hoping for some more time to come to terms with the fact that the man who hired and promoted me is now aware that I am in a very serious relationship with his step-son."

Oliver visibly relaxed, leaning in to kiss her softly. "Honestly, Felicity, I'd tell everyone if I could."

Her eyelids lifted lazily to gaze at him, her entire body buzzing from both his kiss and his words. "You are just too good to be true," she whispered, cupping his face with her hands. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" he prompted, grinning widely.

She kissed him again, pulling back with a groan. "God, what am I supposed to do without you for five whole days?" she whined, already missing him even though he was literally right in front of her.

"Actually, Walter and I talked to the Metropolis branch, and they suggested we just make it a full week. I'll be back the Monday after this one," he informed her, looking grim. "That just means we'll have to make our time together until I leave count."

She nodded, running her lips over his as she spoke. "Or, you could just sneak me into your luggage."

He laughed, getting those little crinkles she loved so much by the corners of his eyes. "Oh yeah? Do you think that could work?"

"I sure hope so, because going a week without this is going to really suck."

He pulled back, sighing. "I really wish you could come with me, but we both know if you went, there wouldn't be much work getting done. This is just something I have to do in order to make sure the company starts attracting investors again. Once people see that we're worth investing in, the company will start doing better. That's when we reveal our relationship to the public."

"You make it sound so simple."

"Well, with you by my side the whole time, it will be," he told her, kissing her temple and rising to his feet. "Come on. Let's go to bed."

She stood as well, her entire body on fire from his words. "I hope you don't plan on us actually sleeping though."

"You're insatiable, Felicity Smoak," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her, pressing her into his body as he kissed her softly. "You really won't be able to survive five days without me."

She resisted the urge to smack his chest, mouth opened in mock offence. "Hey, I think you'll have at least some struggle without me."

"You have no idea," he muttered, his hold on her tightening. "We'll definitely need to have a lot of phone sex."

"Phone sex, huh?"

He nuzzled his nose into her hair, humming his agreement. "Yes, and plenty of video chatting."

"No dirty texts?" she prompted, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, you send them so frequently, I didn't think I needed to restate it," he smugly responded, but she didn't shrink away like he probably thought she would. "Yes, there will be plenty of dirty texting."

Felicity thought everything over, grinning into another kiss with him. "Maybe this trip will be more fun than we thought."

* * *

Felicity watched as Oliver set another shirt into his luggage, ignoring the pang that ran throughout her body. He'd put off packing for as long as he possibly could, and now he had about an hour to be at the airport, so he was kind of in a rush. Felicity took full responsibility for his procrastination, since it had been her who'd distracted him from each attempt to get it over with.

Whether it was her straddling him, or her wearing his shirt - and _only_ his shirt - tauntingly, or her hands getting too wondrous. Oliver absolutely could not say no to her, and sometimes she used that to her advantage. She didn't want him to go, and him not packing meant that he couldn't go. She knew she was being selfish though, so she resisted the urge to join him in the shower this morning, knowing he was running low on time.

"I really wish I wasn't leaving, Felicity," he muttered, for what she swore was the billionth time.

"Listen, Oliver, your company needs you right now. Show them how strong, and intelligent, and devoted you are, and they'll have no problem following you wherever you want to go. Be the leader they need, and by the time you've accomplished that, it'll already be time to come back."

He looked at her, suddenly launching himself at where she laid spread out on his mattress. She shrieked in both surprise and joy, wrapping her arms around his neck as he stared down at her, his eyes intense. His lips met hers, asking for so much, because it would be an entire week before she could give him something like this again.

"How do you always know the right fucking thing to say?" he demanded, one hand holding her head to him as his lips brushed hers between each rise of his chest. "You are unbelievable, Felicity Smoak."

She smiled, her entire body warm and aching for him, but gently pushed him away. "And you need to be on your way to the airport," she reminded him. "You wouldn't want to keep Walter waiting."

"We're taking the company jet," he told her, settling more comfortably between her legs. "The jet can wait, and Walter can, too."

He pressed his lips to hers, swallowing down her protests. But she managed to consider how bad that would look on Oliver's part if he arrived to Metropolis late, and so she pushed him away again, making him exhale in frustration.

"How terrible of a girlfriend would I be if I let you make a first impression like that?" she asked, stroking his cheek. "It won't be that bad. We'll be in communication the entire time." She leaned in to whisper into his ear, "And besides, just think of how great the sex will be when you finally do come back."

Oliver whined against her, before getting to his feet, returning to his luggage. He finished packing up the last of his things, zipping up his luggage dramatically. Then, he grabbed his phone and keys, going over to where she lay, reaching into the drawer of his nightstand, and pulling something out. She watched him with curiosity, sitting up against the headboard. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, showing her what was in his palm.

"I had this made for you," he began, a silver key settled in his hand. "I thought that since you spend so much time here already, you could have your own. Now, you can feel free to come whenever you want."

She felt her eyes water. "Oliver..."

He couldn't make a gesture as big as this on his way out the door for a week long business trip. He just couldn't. It wasn't fair, God dammit. He'd already explained that she could lock up with the spare he kept in his kitchen. Everyone used that spare. It had no owner, and it was meant only to lock up when he wasn't there to do it himself.

The key he was giving her now did have an owner. It belonged to her. Oliver Queen was giving her the key to his house.

"I have to get going," he said regretfully, forcing the key into her shocked hand, and placing a chaste kiss to her parted lips. "I will call you as soon as I get to the hotel. Goodbye, Felicity."

Felicity watched him go, her brain telling her to chase after him and give him a real goodbye. Her body, however, was weighted down, the key in her grasp making her feel like she was pinned to her spot. It scared her that they'd dove through a huge step like this, but at the same time, she was completely okay with it. It was confusing as hell, but she knew everything was going to be okay.

Oliver would come back, and then they'd talk it all out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to have another chapter up soon, but your reviews really do help with the posting. So, please let me know your thoughts! Thank you.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews! Glad you liked the last chapter! Hopefully you enjoy this one just as much.

Felicity thought work was bad before. No, work without Oliver Queen was infinitely worse. She missed him like crazy, and their occasional phone calls were not enough. She needed to feel him. She needed to have him wrap his arms around her, and just be _there_. To make matters worse, she didn't even have enough going on after work to keep her mind off of him.

Plus, her doctor's appointment had finally caught up to her, and she knew she couldn't postpone it again. She had no idea why, but the doctor's office always scared her. Ever since she was a little kid, she always feared for going to the doctor's and receiving news of something terribly wrong with her. Bad things always made an appearance in her mind while she sat in that waiting room.

Oliver wasn't even scheduled to come back until Monday morning, so she couldn't ask him to tag along with her to the appointment on Sunday. She did have happy hour with Sara to look forward to on Sunday night though, and then Oliver would be home in the morning. Today was Friday, and she was scheduled to FaceTime with Oliver at 6:00.

Her clock showed that it was 5:30, and she immediately signed off of work for the day. Gathering her things together, she left her office, making it all the way down to her car. Then, she got in, thankful that she'd remembered to change the station earlier that week since it reminded her of Oliver too much. The drive home took about twenty minutes, and she raced up the stairs and into her apartment in record time, just to make sure she didn't miss his call.

She'd just settled down on her bed with a candy bar she'd bought on her lunch hour, when his name began to flash across her phone screen. She swiped to accept the call, grinning when Oliver's face appeared on her phone. It buffered for a few seconds, before everything sharpened out. He was smiling, and she could see the window behind him, indicating that he was sitting in the chair he'd shown her when he gave her a tour of his room the first time they'd video chatted.

"Hey!" she greeted, resisting the urge to jump up and down with excitement.

"Hey," he beamed. "How was your day?"

"Um, if I say it was the worst day of my life, would you come back?"

He laughed. "Yes, in a heartbeat."

"Okay, then it was the worst day of my life," she confirmed. "See you in a few hours?"

Another laugh, and damn, she was really starting to feel great. "You know I would if I could. I had another meeting today with the managing staff. They really needed some work, but Walter thinks it went well."

"And how do you think it went?"

Oliver shrugged. "It's hard to say. I guess we'll find out how well it went in a few months." He shifted in his seat, and a small smile made its way onto his face. "So, have you gotten the chance to use that key?"

Right. The key. The one that he'd given to her right before jetting off that gave her complete, unadulterated access to his entire house. The key that she'd placed inside of her nightstand drawer and had yet to use because she thought that using it would mean the final step to the next level they'd laid out for their relationship. She bit her lip, looking away.

"Um, I just... You know, I haven't really gotten the chance..."

"Mmm-hmm," Oliver responded, chuckling like he knew exactly what she was really trying to say. "It freaked you out, didn't it?"

She closed her eyes, sighing. "Maybe a little."

"Yeah, I got on the jet, and face-palmed when I thought back on what I'd done," he admitted. "That wasn't the way I wanted that to happen, but I just saw you there, tangled in my sheets, knowing that you'd be waiting for me when I came back like no one ever has, and... I just couldn't wait anymore."

She felt her eyes water, and knew that talking this out with him was such a good idea. She was already feeling 100% better about the entire thing, and now she was completely certain that she was ready to fully accept the key and take that final step.

"Go to my place tonight," he instructed, snapping her back to their conversation. "Sleep there. I'm sure it will make you miss me at least a little less."

She thought about it. "Well, I have missed sleeping in your shirts," she contemplated, knowing that it would drive him wild.

" _Felicity_ ," he ground out, his lust for her apparent even through the phone.

She giggled. "I'll send you a picture," she promised.

"You better," he murmured, smirking at her and making her entire body heat up. "And hurry. I'll be waiting for it."

* * *

The key worked. Felicity had shown up to Oliver's place, and had unlocked his house with the key he'd given her. She never expected something like that to feel so amazing, but it did, and she only regretted not having Oliver there with her. It would definitely give her a better incentive to come inside if she knew he would be there.

After locking up, she went straight to his room, shimmying out her clothes. In his closet was her favorite white dress shirt of his, and she slipped it on, buttoning it and leaving nothing underneath. It smelled like him, and she instantly felt better. He always had such incredible ideas, that boyfriend of hers. She walked over to the full length mirror he had on the other side of his room, turning on her camera and snapping a quick picture.

She went to her messages with Oliver, clicking on the icon that allowed her to send attachments. She selected the picture she'd just taken, typing a small message to go along with it.

_Here's the picture, as promised. I am wearing your shirt... and only your shirt ;)_

She crawled into his bed, giggling to herself about the picture. She just loved messing with him, and she knew he loved it just as much. It was already dark outside, and she'd hardly gotten any sleep since he's been gone. Now, as she lay underneath his sheets, surrounded by the scent of him, she felt sleep start to overcome her. Just as she was about to close her eyes, her phone buzzed, indicating that Oliver was trying to FaceTime with her again. Knitting her brows together, she accepted the call, watching as Oliver's face filled her screen.

"Hey, is everything okay?" she asked, since he never video chatted with her two times in one night, especially not so close together.

"Show me."

She sat up, fully awake now. "Show you what?"

"Show me that you're wearing my shirt."

Everything suddenly made sense. She'd sent him that picture of her in his shirt, and that's why he was calling her right now. She didn't think it would affect him that much. Wow, she was more powerful than she thought.

Pulling the camera back, she slowly scanned the phone over her body starting from her neck, and ending with her legs. Then, she brought the phone back to her face, finding him staring back at her, his eyes impossibly dark.

"You, in _my_ shirt, in _my_ bed, in _my_ house... Fuck," he growled, making tingles shoot throughout her entire body.

She swallowed back a moan, loving how affected he was. "Now, it's your turn. Show me what you're wearing."

Oliver distanced the phone from himself, panning the screen down so that she could see that he was sitting down in that same chair, completely shirtless. Her mouth went dry at the sight, but she managed to stay quiet. That is, until he brought the phone lower, revealing to her the massive hard-on he was sporting through his sweats.

"Holy shit," she breathed, and that ache between her thighs came to life again.

This wasn't the first time that week that they'd had phone sex. Mostly, it was through texts or just regular calls. Only once, had they done it through video chat, and Felicity knew that was only because of the difficulty it was to hold the phone and touch themselves. But, it looked like it was about to happen again, so she could only hope the second time around would be easier.

"Do you see what you do to me?" he gruffly asked, and she watched as he reached into his sweats, pulling himself out.

Her hand flew to the junction of her thighs, feeling her fingers immediately coat with her wetness. She began a pattern, moaning softly at the sensations that flooded her. With her eyes closed, she could pretend that it was Oliver's hand on her, and not her own. His fingers would be long and calloused, and he'd be gentle yet demanding at the same time, determined to make her come.

"Show me what you're doing," he ordered, and she immediately brought the phone to where her other hand was occupied.

She could hear him cursing, and it only made her rub faster. Her eyes were glued to her phone screen, where she could see the way he wrapped his hand around himself, beginning to stroke up and down, moving in rhythm with her hand. God, what she would do to have her hand where his was, giving him the pleasure he was now providing for himself.

"Felicity," he moaned, making her eyes flutter, "you're so wet."

Okay, when he said things like that, he made it _extremely_ easy to pretend like he was actually there, murmuring that into her ear, easing his fingers around her clit in such a way that shouldn't get her going as quickly as it did. She wondered if he'd be just as affected if she spoke to him like that. She wondered if he'd be able to feel her presence there in more depth.

"Oliver, you feel so good," she whined, her pace speeding up as even her own words served to further arouse her. "Yeah, just like that."

His hand pumped faster, his groans of pleasure sounding as though they were right in her ear. "Fuck, Felicity. Don't stop... Don't fucking stop."

"I won't," she promised, moving her hand faster, feeling that sweet release sneaking up on her, before pleading, "Faster, Oliver, please."

She heard him grit out an abundance of unintelligible words, his hand jerking harder, faster, more desperately. She followed in his steps, her fingers working so fast against her, that she began to see stars. A numbness overpowered her as her orgasm struck her, her entire body going rigid as wave after wave of agonizing pleasure washed over her.

She cried his name, and within seconds, he was doing the same with hers, moving the phone out of the way so that he wouldn't dirty it. Felicity had her eyes closed anyways, her entire body heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Then, she turned her phone back onto her face, waiting for Oliver to do the same. It took a few minutes, but soon she was staring at his eyes again, and they were that satisfied shade of blue they always were after he orgasmed.

"Did you get better at that?" she teased, and he grinned.

"You are so..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "I can't wait to be back."

She smiled. "And I can't wait to have you back. This bed is way too big without you in it."

"I can promise you, that problem will be solved immediately," Oliver vowed, only making her crave his presence more.

She looked at her clock, sighing. "I should probably let you go now. You have work tomorrow, and so do I. Just a couple more days."

"Just a couple more days," he murmured. "Goodnight, Felicity."

"Goodnight, Oliver."

* * *

Felicity woke up to the feeling of lips on her cheek. She sighed when the familiar stubble rasped against her skin, reveling in the feeling she'd been denied of for almost an entire week. Almost. Her eyes bolted open, remembering that today was Saturday, and she shouldn't be feeling any scruff against her skin until Monday. The person who'd kissed her jumped back at her reaction, and her eyes landed on Oliver.

"Oliver?" she questioned, getting the feeling that she must still be asleep, because him being there just did not make sense. "How...?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Yesterday morning, Walter told me we'd be able to come home a couple days early. That's why I wanted you to stay the night last night. So that I could come home to you," he said, and it still felt all a little too good to be true. "I wasn't supposed to land until eight, but I made Walter leave a little early. He understood."

Felicity glanced at the clock, seeing that the time said it was six o'clock. "Oliver..."

"You're still tired, and I'm exhausted," he acknowledged, shedding his clothes. "The company doesn't expect me back until Monday, and I've taken the liberty of giving you the day off."

"What?" she asked, her brain still having trouble understanding even a fraction of what was going on.

"We have the entire day to just be with each other," he explained, climbing under the covers with her, and curling his body around hers. "For now, let's just get some sleep."

Not knowing what else to say - and worried that everything would disappear if she said the wrong thing - she settled into his arms, feeling content once again. "Okay."

He sighed, and she thought he'd already drifted off, but then she heard the gentle rumble of his voice as he murmured, "God, I missed you."

Then, they were asleep.

* * *

A smell woke her up this time, and she looked over to where Oliver should be, finding his spot empty. She looked at the clock, seeing that it was well past ten in the morning, and she questioned why her alarm didn't go off. She figured Oliver must have taken care of it, since he'd already given her the day off from work. The smell was really starting to bug her, and she crawled out of bed, looking for the source of it, and for her extremely hot boyfriend who was currently MIA.

She still had his dress shirt on, and that's all she kept on as she padded out of his room, squinting through the sunlight. The farther she went from the bedroom, the more awful the scent became. She actually had to cover her nose once she'd reached the kitchen, where she discovered both her boyfriend and what was causing the strange smell.

There Oliver stood, flipping a pancake over. There was a gallon of milk on the counter next to him, and Felicity didn't have to come any further to know that the milk was way past expired. She made herself noticeable, and Oliver looked over to her, beaming.

"Hey," he said, setting the pancake on the back burner, and coming up to kiss her.

She had no idea why she was expecting a nice, sweet kiss. He hadn't kissed her for five days, so when his lips plummeted down onto hers, his tongue prying past her lips and sweeping into her mouth, she really shouldn't have been so surprised. He was wearing only a pair of basketball shorts, and when he kissed her, she almost laughed at the fact that the two of them together barely made an entire outfit.

Oliver picked her up, setting her onto the counter. She spread her legs for him, grinning as he stood between them. His tongue mauled hers, making her arch the more thorough his lips grew. His hands slid up her - _his_ \- shirt, and she really wanted to keep going. Only, that smell was now even worse, and she wanted to gag, wondering how the hell he didn't notice it.

"Oliver, honey-" she tried, but he covered her words with his lips, moaning against her mouth.

His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs flicking over her already hardened nipples. Damn it, she really wanted to enjoy this. She'd been deprived of this for five whole days, and she really should just ignore it. But ever since she was a kid, smells have bugged her more than anyone else. And this stench was definitely _not_ hot.

"Oliver," she said with a little more force, and he actually pulled back. "You've been gone for almost a week."

He nodded, kissing her neck in the way he _knew_ drove her insane. "I know. That's why I'm trying to do something about it right now."

"That's... That's very nice," she breathed, and his hand parted her folds, testing her slickness. "But, I-" Her voice cracked. Wow, how embarrassing. "I just-" He entered a finger into her, and she clutched his hair in her hand, blurting it all out at once. "My God, Oliver, how can you not smell that?"

He froze, stepping back with furrowed brows. "Smell what?"

"That milk!" she exclaimed, resisting the urge to cover her nose again. "You've been gone for almost a week. There's no way that milk is still good."

He reached for the carton, and she tried not to look at the bulge in his shorts. "Crap," he muttered, reading the expiration date. "I didn't even think to check. Well, I guess we can't eat these anymore."

He went over to the plate of pancakes he'd been accumulating, tossing them all into the trashcan. She felt really bad, but was also extremely grateful for her nose at the moment. If they'd had eaten those... yikes! Oliver returned to her, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ears.

"You have a strong nose," he told her, smiling down like even that was something to be in love with.

"You say that like it's a good thing," she flushed, and he kissed her nose.

"It is." He glanced over to the pancakes again, exhaling in disappointment. "I don't have anything else in my fridge, and I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

"You didn't have dinner?" she asked, suddenly remembering, that she hadn't had dinner either. "Wait, I didn't either."

He started walking away, and before she could ask him where he was going, he was calling over her shoulder, "There's no way we can have a bunch of mind-blowing sex on empty stomachs."

She hopped off the counter, following him into his room. "Well, I have been craving this little restaurant that's only a couple minutes away from here. Plus, they always have the food brought out really quickly."

"Sounds perfect," he said, going into his closet, and starting to dress into something he could actually wear out.

She resisted the urge to laugh when he couldn't get his jeans on, and she knew it was because he was still ridiculously hard. He glanced her way anyways, and she merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"Um, I think we just might have the energy for one time," he decided, his chest colliding with hers.

She giggled as he tossed her onto the bed, moaning her agreement. "We just might."

* * *

It turns out, getting soup from that place was the worst idea Felicity has ever had. There was something wrong with it. It had tasted delicious at first, but once Oliver and Felicity got back to his place, they'd both been struck with this terrible nausea. It had hit Oliver first, making Felicity think that she hadn't been affected by it. Then, she'd felt it all start to come back up, and rushed to the other bathroom in his house.

She knew what it was. It was food poisoning. She would have really been worried if she had eaten something like egg or chicken. But no, her and Oliver had stuck only to their soup, which they had sort have been known for. Well, as known as the food in a hole-in-the-wall place like that could be. As Felicity hugged the toilet, practically hurling her guts out, she made a vow to herself to never eat there again.

Oliver came to check on her about an hour after she started getting sick, and he didn't look too hot himself. And that was saying something because Oliver _always_ looked hot. He fell against the wall in his struggle to sit down, and she rested her head on his shoulder, trying to even her breathing.

"So, that's what food poisoning feels like," he muttered dryly.

She managed a snort, closing her eyes. "I don't understand. That place has never made me sick before. Do you think they left the food sitting out or something? I just can't think of a reason why this could have happened."

"Maybe this is the universe's way of saying we shouldn't have sex," Oliver offered jokingly, before pouting. "Felicity, I was really looking forward to the sex."

"I know," she replied, cursing the world as if what Oliver was saying made any logical sense whatsoever. "Damn universe. It's just jealous because we're so good at it."

"We are, aren't we?" Oliver agreed. "It's also jealous of how hot we are."

Felicity was about to voice her agreement on that as well, when Oliver sat up suddenly, hurling into the toilet. She cringed, looking away and praying that they could get past this as soon as possible.

"Yeah, very sexy," she muttered, getting to her feet. "I'll go get you some water."

All she heard was a muffled noise, which she took as a 'thank you'. She had no idea how it was possible for something like this to happen to her and Oliver after they'd already gone through the hell of being separated for five days. Sighing, she poured him the water, thankful that her spell seemed to have passed for the time being.

* * *

They'd survived.

Felicity didn't know how, but somehow they'd made it to the next day. Actually, after her first hour of nausea, she started to feel better. It was Oliver who never left the bathroom, which meant that she got to play doctor with him all night - and not in the fun way either. Now, it was her who was about to be the patient, because even though she'd thought about getting out of it, she still showed up to her doctor's appointment.

Oliver told her to tell the doctor about the food poisoning, probably hoping for some meds. It wasn't as bad for him this morning, but she knew he was still feeling terrible. She'd promised to come home with his favorite flavor of ice cream, since that always made things better.

She was snapped out of her thoughts of Oliver by the sound of the door opening. She was now in the doctor's office, and had been waiting for her doctor to return to the room. Now, the woman entered, a small smile on her lips. Felicity tried not to look as nervous as she felt, feeling ridiculous due to her age. She should be over this anxiety already, right?

"Hello, Felicity," Dr. Miller greeted, closing the door behind her. "It's good to see you again."

"You, too," Felicity replied, wincing at her awkwardness. "I may be a little nervous right now, but I'm hoping that will pass."

Dr. Miller laughed. "I hate going to see the doctor, too," she confessed. "I don't think it's something anyone can just get over."

Well, knowing she wasn't in it alone made Felicity feel a little bit better. Still, she was nervous as they went through the normal tasks check-ups went through. By the end of the appointment, Felicity was being told how healthy she was, and to continue doing what she was doing. She was almost ready to walk out of there and never look back, when she remembered what Oliver had asked her to do.

"Hey, Dr. Miller?" Felicity cautiously asked, making the older woman glance up at her from where'd she'd been writing on her clipboard.

"Yes?"

Felicity shifted uncomfortably. "I just thought that I should mention this to you before I leave. It's probably not a big deal, but I promised my boyfriend that I'd ask you this." Felicity cleared her throat, proud of herself for not mentioning Oliver's name. "It's just that yesterday, we went to eat at this little restaurant by his place, and we ended up getting food poisoning. Is there anything you can prescribe or...?"

"Well, that depends on how bad it is," she answered, walking over to where the medical supplies were. "I can run a quick test and have the results back to you within the hour, if you want to wait."

"You... You want to draw my blood?"

Dr. Miller nodded as if it were no big deal. "Yeah, it'll just tell me how your white blood cell count is looking. If it's looks like it needs a little help, then I'll prescribe you something. Is that okay with you?"

Felicity nodded feebly, allowing Dr. Miller to take some of her blood. "So, do I just go back to the waiting room?"

"Um, you can stay here if you don't have anywhere else to be. Today is a fairly slow day for some reason, which is why we can have your results to you so quickly. Normally, it probably would have taken some time."

It really did only take about an hour, and when the doctor finally did come back, Felicity tried to read her face for any signs that it wasn't actually food poisoning, and she was dying from some mystery illness. Yeah, that was the kind of thing that ran through her mind. Dr. Miller took a seat in her chair, her eyes scanning over the charts.

"Well, the good news is that it was just food poisoning," she began, but before Felicity had the opportunity to celebrate it not being cancer, she continued, "for your boyfriend."

She felt that nausea make a reappearance. "What, um- what? I'm confused."

"I ran your blood work," she paused, only adding to the tension in the room, "and it turns out you're pregnant. Congratulations, Ms. Smoak," Dr. Millers said, grinning. "You're going to be a mother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full explanation provided in the next chapter! Please review!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the incredible response to the last chapter!! Here is another update for you guys. Enjoy! :)

"I'm sorry," Felicity apologized, shaking her head. "Can you just... Can you just repeat that for me, please?"

Dr. Millers smiled knowingly. "Felicity, you're pregnant. Seven weeks, to be exact."

Felicity felt her entire world close in on her, Dr. Miller's words on a loop inside her head. She was pregnant. She had been for seven weeks. For seven entire weeks, she'd had a tiny life growing inside of her. No, that just didn't make sense. She couldn't be pregnant. She just _couldn't_.

"That's... That's not possible," she sputtered. "W- We used protection. We used condoms almost every time."

Dr. Miller raised her eyebrows at her. "Almost? What about the times you didn't?"

"We- I'm on the pill," Felicity answered. "We were _double_ careful. I mean, as soon as we started dating, I got back on it. I didn't... I didn't want anything like this to happen. I'm always careful."

She seemed to be considering what Felicity was saying, and for some reason, Felicity thought she was going to tell her that she must be mistaken then. Only, she didn't, because test results didn't change just because a person wasn't happy with them. That just wasn't how it worked.

"Felicity, how soon did you and your boyfriend have sex after you started taking the pill again?" she questioned.

Felicity flushed, knowing now was not the time to be modest. "About a week after."

"Okay, and do you remember when the first time you guys had sex without a condom was?"

Felicity thought about it for a second, nodding as she remembered the first time they'd forgotten the condom. It was the Monday after their first date, in the backseat of her car. "Yeah, it was a of couple days after. Why?"

"Well, normally, it takes about a month or so for birth control to start being most effective again," Dr. Miller explained, and Felicity felt her stomach sink as what she was saying began to make so much sense. "Given the situation, it's very understandable how you got pregnant."

Felicity didn't know what to do in the slightest. This was no longer something she could figure out for herself. Now, there was someone else to take into consideration, someone who she had no clue how he'd react to the news. She needed to tell Oliver. _Immediately_. No matter how he took the news, he needed to know.

"I have to go," she decided, her voice hoarse with nervousness.

"Ms. Smoak, I know this is a lot to handle, but I'm sure it will all work out for the best," Dr. Miller tried to sooth. "I remember when I found out I was pregnant with my first. I panicked, too. Trust me, it'll all be okay."

Felicity nodded shakily, reaching for the door and opening it. "Thank you, Dr. Miller. I just need to discuss this with my boyfriend."

She left the doctor's office without so much as a glance back, nearly sprinting to her car. Once she was inside, she broke down, breathing heavily as she repeated what the doctor had told her in her head. She was pregnant. Felicity rested her head against the steering wheel, feeling sick to her stomach. Her phone started ringing, making her jump as she fumbled to get it.

Sara's name flashed across her screen, and she cursed to herself, forgetting all about the plans they had together in the haste of all the news. Swiping the screen, she answered the call, trying to compose herself so that Sara wouldn't be able to detect something was wrong.

"Hello?"

"Felicity, hey," Sara greeted. "Are we still on for happy hour?"

Felicity closed her eyes, and she knew she had to decline for more than one reason. "Actually, I can't today. Oliver and I..." She trailed off, thinking. "Oliver and I had some bad soup and we got food poisoning."

"That sucks," Sara muttered, sounding concerned. "Do you want me to come by?"

"No," Felicity blurted. "I just... It's actually not as bad as it was yesterday. We're just recovering today. There's no need for you to trouble yourself like that."

Sara sighed. "Okay then. I hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks, Sara," Felicity murmured, disconnecting.

While she was still composed, Felicity started driving back to Oliver's place. She dropped by a small market to grab the ice cream she'd promised him, questioning if that was enough to make anything better like she'd first thought it could. When she finally made it back to his house, she used the key he'd given her without thinking, entering to find Oliver in the kitchen, sifting through the fridge.

He saw her and closed the fridge door, walking up to her. "Okay, so you using your key is really hot," he began, his voice already lowering in that way she normally loved. He froze when she didn't react, a crease making its way between his brows. "What's wrong?"

"I, uh," she paused, biting her lower lip as her gaze fell to the bag in her grasp. She held it up weakly, forcing a smile onto her face. "I bought ice cream."

His concern didn't waver, and he started to get that panicky look in his eyes. "Felicity, what happened? Did the doctor...? Did she say something...?"

"Oliver, I-"

Her voice cut off, and Oliver immediately took her in his arms, practically carrying her as he guided them into his bedroom. She held onto him, feeling her heart race with panic towards how he'd react. Oliver set her onto the bed, sitting next to her, holding her hand in his own as he stared at her.

"You can tell me," he promised, and she swore she saw his eyes water. "Felicity, whatever it is, we can deal with it."

She knew she had to let him know. He was doing as she had done, and was thinking the worst. It wasn't fair for her to keep him in the dark like this, swimming in his worst fears. Sucking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, ready to tell him, yet knowing she couldn't be looking at him when she did.

"Oliver, I told the doctor about the food poisoning, and she took a sample of my blood to check my white blood cell count," she started, and she knew he was hanging onto each word. "When the doctor came back with the results, she told me that it wasn't food poisoning after all. It turns out, I'm..." She took another deep breath, lifting her shoulders helplessly. "Oliver, I'm pregnant."

He didn't say anything, and she held her breath, waiting for him to. All she needed to know was that he'd heard her. Even if he was completely furious with her, even if this news was the worst she could have ever given him, she needed to know. Her eyes remained closed, her anxiety too strong for her to open her eyes to see the look on his face.

"Felicity," he whispered, and she felt his hand on her face, cupping it gently. "You're... you're pregnant?"

She nodded, her voice small as she gasped, "Yes."

Then, she was engulfed in his embrace, his arms banding around her shoulders as he crushed her to him. His head buried itself into her hair, as he inhaled deeply. She was shocked, sure she was imagining the entire thing. Still, her arms returned the hug, and she clutched his shirt in her fists. He didn't let her go for several minutes, and when he finally did, he didn't leave too much space between them.

"You're not mad?" she asked, confused by his reaction.

He shook his head, his eyes shining. "Why would I be mad? I mean, I know the timing isn't great, but-"

"The timing is awful, Oliver," she interrupted. "You're just starting to turn the company around, and we haven't even been together that long. I've had boxes of cereal for longer than our relationship, and-"

"Felicity, none of that matters. This is happening," he reminded her. "How can I be mad about this? If there is anyone I'd ever even _consider_ starting a family with, it'd be you."

She stared at him, beyond feeling lucky now. "I really thought you were going to be mad," she whispered.

He kissed her until she felt ridiculous for thinking that. Then, he pulled back, grinning. "So, how far along are you?"

"Seven weeks," she answered.

"Wow," he breathed, raising his eyebrows in amazement. "Can I...?"

Knowing what he was asking, she leaned back, lying down flat on the bed. He dropped to the floor, kneeling at her side. Lifting her shirt to her breasts, he brought his lips down, pressing them against her stomach. She knew that there was no difference in her stomach at all, but the gesture was so sweet, she felt her eyes welling with unshed tears.

"We're going to be great parents, Felicity," he murmured, resting his forehead against her stomach. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I'm so glad I have you," she breathed, a few tears slipping free. "God, I love you."

He stiffened, and her heart stopped. They'd never told each other that before. She knew it was true, she'd been thinking it for weeks now. After how he'd just reacted to her pregnancy, she didn't know why the fact that she said she loved him made her so nervous. His head lifted from her skin, and he looked at her, his eyes so warm, she felt it in her bones.

"You've never said that before," he stated, his tone surprisingly steady.

She exhaled. "I know."

"I've wanted to say it for a while now," he admitted, and a weight seemed to be taken off his shoulders as he scooted closer to her, murmuring, "I love you, too, Felicity Smoak."

Then he was kissing her, and she was pulling him off the ground by tugging on his shirt. He quickly shed the shirt before covering her body with his own, his lips making her feel numb with pleasure. That night, he'd made love to her with one palm flat against her stomach. And right before he went to sleep, he placed a dozen tiny kisses there, making promises she couldn't hear.

With the way that day had started, she didn't expect it to turn out as it had.

Today, in her opinion, had been perfect.

* * *

"Don't be nervous."

"Oliver," she whined, grabbing his hand. "This is a big deal."

He sighed, looking at her with softened eyes. "Felicity you've met them before."

"Yeah, when I wasn't carrying our child!" she incredulously pointed out.

His eyes closed slowly, and he tilted her chin so that he could kiss her, his hand finding its way to her stomach. Felicity sunk into his lips, finding comfort and reassurance in it. Oliver's palm practically shielded her entire stomach, even though there was no sign anything was even growing back there. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, speaking lowly.

"I love when you say things like that," he murmured, placing another chaste kiss to her lips and saying against them, " _'Our child'_."

"I love you," she whispered, meaning it with every inch of her body.

He swallowed, putting space between them. "If only we weren't about to have dinner with my family," he muttered, and she knew what implication he was making.

It had been two weeks since she told Oliver she was pregnant. They hadn't told anyone else, agreeing that it was best to wait until the end of the first trimester. They also decided that they weren't going to discuss revealing their relationship to the public just yet, because that was a huge obstacle that they could put off until the time to make a choice became absolutely necessary.

Plus, neither of them wanted to deal with the constant harassment that would undoubtedly be following the news of both Oliver's relationship with Felicity, and her pregnancy. Felicity liked her privacy, and she was determined to hang onto that for as long as she could.

Oliver came around the car, opening her door for her while she got out. She exhaled deeply, trying to settle her nerves. She was just going to walk into the _biggest_ mansion in Starling City and sit at a table with the _wealthiest_ people in Starling City. Not to mention that the first time she met Oliver's mom, his tongue was down her throat.

Really, what did she have to be stressing out about?

"You're going to be fine," Oliver assured again, placing a kiss to her cheek. "I promise."

She smiled as best as she could, following Oliver's lead into the entrance of the Queen Mansion. The doors opened before he could even knock, and Felicity tried not to act surprised by the fact that there were servants, maids, and tons of other staff on that property. With her hand clasped tightly in Oliver's she let him guide her through the house he grew up in, already smelling the scent of delicious food in the air.

"I told them you were craving steak," Oliver explained, and Felicity froze, pulling on his arm.

"Oliver," she hissed, and he wore a look of confusion before realization set in.

Tilting his head to the side, he faced her with startling calm eyes. "Felicity, you can have cravings and _not_ be nine weeks pregnant."

She blinked, feeling ridiculous. "Sorry," she apologized, flushing. "Just that damn paranoia again."

Oliver laughed, leaning in to brush his lips over her cheek, before continuing on to the dining room. He stopped in front of a large door, pushing it open and revealing a long table with food scattered across the entirety of it. Felicity felt her mouth water, and Oliver gave her a knowing look as she walked in. Before she could even appreciate the sight of the delicious food for too long, a door on the opposite side of the room was being opened, and through it came the rest of the Queen family.

"Thea, I told you your boyfriend couldn't come," Moira Queen said, entering the room with purpose.

"I don't see why not. It's just dinner!" Thea pointed out, clearly pissed off.

Moira turned around to face her, thankfully not seeing Felicity or Oliver yet. "It is not just dinner. Your brother is bringing his girlfriend with him."

"Well, Roy's already here, so what do you want me to do?" Thea demanded.

Oliver stepped in then, clearing his throat so that his presence was known. Moira and Thea turned swiftly, looking at him and breaking out into grins. Thea ran at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Moira followed after her, placing a sweet kiss to his cheek. Felicity watched the interaction with a warm feeling, and she noticed how sensitive she was becoming around families now that she was starting one.

"Felicity!" Walter greeted, coming into the room and spotting her before the other two Queens did. "It's great to see you."

Thea and Moira's eyes fell on her, and their bright smiles thankfully remained.

"I'm doing fine," she answered, trying to hide her nervous state.

Thea was suddenly at her side, bringing her into a hug that was so tight, she was sure the baby could feel it. Felicity returned it as best she could when being stunned to her core by the gesture, and locked eyes with Moira. She approached Felicity when Thea backed away after a quick greeting, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hello, dear. It's nice to see you again."

Felicity smiled, swallowing nervously as glimpses of their last encounter flashed through her mind. "Mrs. Queen, it's great to see you, too. You have a lovely home."

"Thank you," she replied, her eyes kind. "So, how have things been since the last time we saw each other?"

Felicity felt her skin pale. "Um-"

"Mom," Oliver scolded, taking his place by Felicity's side. "I thought I told you not to bring that up."

"At least she's not banning your boyfriend from the dinner table," Thea offered, her hand on the door to - what Felicity assumed - go get said boyfriend.

Moira rolled her eyes, moving closer to the table. "I am just everyone's enemy today," she sighed dramatically, and Felicity had to stifle a laugh.

"To answer your question, Mrs. Queen, things have been great since then. Oliver and I have never been happier," Felicity responded, earning an appreciative stare from Moira for taking the heat off of her.

"That's great, dear. I'm happy to hear it."

"As am I," Walter contributed, taking a seat at the head of the table. "Oliver, have you seen the new numbers?"

Before he could answer, Moira was interrupting, a scolding look on her face. "No work talk at the dinner table. Tonight is about family, both old and new."

Felicity's hand unconsciously flew to her stomach, and Moira's eyes followed it. As subtly as possible, Felicity made it look as though she were smoothing her dress over, and Moira's gaze went to the door, where Thea and her boyfriend were now entering. Felicity felt Oliver tense up from beside her, and hid the smile that fell onto her face. He could be so protective sometimes.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Roy," Thea introduced, and the guy behind her gave an awkward wave. "Roy, you know Walter and my mom. That muscular guy over there is my big brother, Ollie. And the cute, blonde woman at his side is his girlfriend, soon-to-be-wife, Felicity."

"Hey," he said, while Felicity tried not to blush at Thea's words.

"Nice to meet you, Roy," Oliver said, walking over to him and shaking his hand.

Roy flinched at the grip Oliver had on his hand, and Thea rolled her eyes. "Don't let him intimidate you, babe. One time, I caught him doodling Felicity's name on a cocktail napkin at the club."

"Hey!" Oliver protested, clearly offended by Thea's statement.

She grinned, mouthing a _'your welcome'_ to Felicity. Felicity didn't have it in her to stifle that laugh, and all of her worry and uneasiness from before seemed utterly ridiculous to her now. The last thing she was expecting was to feel so comfortable with his family so fast, and yet, here she was, feeling right at home there.

"Alright, let's eat," Moira instructed, her voice sounding over theirs. "Roy, welcome. Feel free to sit wherever you'd like."

Felicity waited for Oliver to direct her towards a seat, worried about sitting in one that belonged to another member of the family. Walter was already seated at the head, Moira to his right. Thea sat to his left, with Roy taking the free seat next to her. Oliver encouraged Felicity to take the seat next to his mom, and Felicity reluctantly did, slightly wishing that he'd taken it instead.

"Don't worry, dear. I don't bite," Moira teased, and Felicity sat down without a second thought.

"Ollie said you're the reason Mom busted out the good meat," Thea started, grabbing a piece of the thick steak and setting it onto her plate. "Thanks for that."

Felicity chuckled nervously, still freaking out about the reason behind Oliver's request. "Yeah, I've just been..." She paused, choosing her next word very carefully, "wanting some lately."

Oliver smiled at her, and she knew what he was thinking without him even saying it. "How about we stop talking about it, and just dig in?" he suggested.

Thea raised her knife, swallowing down a bite. "Already on it."

They all served themselves generous portions, and Felicity wasted no time starting in on the steak, feeling her taste buds sing with the amazing flavors. If she ever had to have a last meal, then she would have chosen that. The steak was cooked exactly how she liked it, and the sides they had scattered across the table were also to die for.

She was already half way through her plate when Walter started talking, entering the room with a bottle of wine in his hands. She'd been so engrossed in her food, Felicity hadn't even noticed he'd left. Everyone paused to listen to him, putting their silverware down. Walter uncorked the bottle, pouring some into his glass.

"I wasn't going to bust this out until a little later," he began, moving in to pour some into Moira's glass, "but it would taste so well with the steak, I see no point in waiting."

That panic came back full force, and she was sure she would have hurled all over the million dollar table, had she not felt Oliver's hand land in her own, reassuring her without any words at all. She risked a glance at him, only to find him staring back at her, the look on his face telling her not to worry.

"Actually, Walter, Felicity and I won't be having any wine tonight," Oliver informed him, earning several curious stares. "We've both suffered from terrible hangovers recently, and the taste of liquor just isn't too appealing right now."

"Ollie, I thought your hangover days were over," Thea commented, clearly taunting him.

Oliver stared at her, his facial expression unwavering. "I thought so, too, Speedy. But Felicity and I were just having too much fun to stop. We've definitely learned our lessons."

Felicity smiled, running her thumb over the back of Oliver's hand. Just like that, her panic was gone, and everyone else moved past their decision not to drink quickly, and without suspicion. It wasn't until dessert was brought out that Felicity started to worry again, only this time, Oliver couldn't come to her rescue.

"Mrs. Queen, this cake is delicious," Felicity raved, never tasting something so divine in her entire life.

Moira smiled, placing a hand on her arm. "I'm glad you like it. I remember loving it just as much when I was pregnant with Oliver."

The entire room when silent, and Felicity choked on her food. Oliver rushed to place her glass of water to her lips, and she tried to focus her concern on trying not to choke to death. Walter, Thea, and Roy made no movement, all frozen in place while Felicity fought to save her life, and Oliver glared at his mom. When Felicity could finally breath again, she looked at Moira, who seemed perfectly unfazed.

"Excuse me," Felicity huffed, avoiding the woman's gaze. "What did you say?"

"Oh, well, when I was pregnant with Oliver, I used to crave this cake all the time," Moira repeated, as though Felicity - and the rest of the table - really hadn't heard her the first time. "This is quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

Oliver spoke up, his voice hard, "Why would that be a coincidence, Mom?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Oliver," Moira advised, taking a casual sip from her wine. "I could tell she was pregnant before she even walked through the door."

Everyone turned to look at Felicity for confirmation, but she could only blink, sitting rigid as the world went to flames around her. She could see Thea looking at her with raised eyebrows, and Walter looked almost as uncomfortable as Roy. Oliver was gnashing his teeth, his jaw ticking as though he was furious.

"What gave it away?" he finally asked, and Felicity felt the blood begin to flow through her body again, now that the secret was out, and she wouldn't have to fight so hard not to let it slip.

"The first hint I got was when you called me to tell me she was craving steak lately, and then asked me if I could prepare it for our dinner," Moira started, and Felicity turned to Oliver, who was looking down now.

"See?" she questioned, her voice slightly raised from all the hysteria. "I told you it was suspicious."

Thea spoke up next, her brows furrowed. "Wait, so you're really pregnant? Like, with Ollie's kid?"

"Yeah," Felicity whispered. "Is that... Is that okay?"

"You're asking me for permission to have my brother's child?" Thea asked, starting to laugh. "Felicity, it is more than okay. As a matter of fact, this is awesome."

Felicity smiled, feeling all the more reassured by Thea's response. Now, she only needed two more to go. Three, if she was including Thea's boyfriend, but Felicity didn't care enough to seek his approval.

"There had to be more to it than that," Oliver continued, bringing them back to how Moira figured out Felicity was pregnant.

Moira nodded. "Well, when you told me not to have anything cooked with nutmeg in it, it reminded me of how sensitive I was to the smell of certain spices during both my pregnancies. Walter told me there's been a change in your behavior at work, and that he's noticed you seem lighter than you normally are."

"I had no idea she was pregnant," Walter clarified. "I was simply making conversation."

"I know, Walter," Oliver assured, focusing back in on his mother.

"She walked in here tonight, and she hasn't taken one hand off her stomach since she's arrived," Moira pointed out, and Felicity glanced down, at where one hand lay against her stomach through her dress, placed right against where the tiny life was growing. "Then, she refused to consume alcohol, and that was the last piece of confirmation I needed."

Oliver sighed, accepting the reasoning behind his mother's expert detective skills. "We were going to wait a couple more weeks before we started telling people."

"It's okay, dear. We are all extremely happy for the both of you." Moira turned to Felicity. "How far along are you?"

Felicity managed a smile, feeling better at Moira's words of approval. "Nine weeks."

Everyone did a little cheer, making Felicity blush as Oliver wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him. She smiled up at him, and he kissed her sweetly, pulling back with eyes so bright, it made any last doubts slink away. They basked in this moment, enjoying every second of it. Though this wasn't the way they'd planned on telling his family, it wasn't a bad way to have happened.

In fact, just like the night she'd shared her news of being pregnant with Oliver, it was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts!! :)


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the amazing reviews from the last chapter! Here's another one for you guys!

The cat was already out of the bag, and Oliver knew that it wasn't going to take long before Thea started telling their friends about Felicity's pregnancy. He'd made her promise that she wouldn't, but sometimes she got too excited for her own good. That's why the week following their dinner at the mansion, Oliver and Felicity invited their friends over to his house for a barbecue.

At about four o'clock on Saturday, they all arrived, timing themselves perfectly so that they showed up together. In through the door walked Laurel, Tommy, Sara, and Nyssa, the only four friends that really mattered to the happy couple. Oliver had told them that they simply wanted to host a small party in celebration of his relationship with Felicity. As far as he knew, not one of them suspected a thing.

"So, you two seem to be doing extremely well," Laurel commented, referring to Oliver and Felicity's relationship.

Sara scoffed, and Felicity looked her way from where she sat, Oliver's arm draped over her shoulder lovingly. "Are you kidding me? They're doing so well, Felicity has totally forgotten she has a best friend- or a life, for that matter."

"Hey, that's not true," Felicity denied, fighting off her grin. "I make time for you still."

"Felicity, once every couple weeks is not enough," Sara whined, and Nyssa rolled her eyes at her girlfriend.

"Well, I think it's good that her and Oliver are so occupied with each other," Tommy chimed in. "He's finally stopped teasing me about being the same way with Laurel."

Oliver laughed, reaching over to clap him on the back. "I'll admit, now that it's me in your situation, I can see why it happened to you so easily. When Felicity and I are together, it is way too easy to lose track of time."

Felicity smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him. Oliver returned the kiss quickly, seeming to forget that it wasn't just the two of them there. Felicity would have stopped him, too, if he hadn't done that thing with his tongue that made her insides melt. It wasn't until Nyssa coughed that they broke away, coming to face with some very disturbed house guests.

"Okay, I am definitely going to need some alcohol after that," Sara decided, instantly hitting the panic button on Felicity's brain. "Felicity, let's go make some drinks. I'd leave you out here and do it myself, but I'm afraid what I might come back to if you and Oliver are left alone together."

"Actually," Felicity started, making the women at the party stop in their tracks, "we didn't buy any alcohol."

"Why not?" Sara asked. "Felicity, nothing makes a barbecue like vodka. You know this."

Felicity glanced Oliver's way, since she' told him the night before that Sara was going to have a hard time believing they didn't plan on drinking at the barbecue. The plan was to wait until after everyone had eaten before sharing the big news. That way, everyone would be full and happy, and more likely to believe that Oliver and Felicity could actually pull off having a baby so early in their relationship. So, as Felicity freaked the hell out, Oliver didn't look worried in the slightest, and just faced the girls with a calm expression, his arm still lingering around Felicity's shoulders.

"We must have ran out," he explained. "I'm sure I have some scotch somewhere. Maybe even a few beers."

Sara shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll just go out and buy some. There's a store right down the street."

"I'll go with you," Laurel offered, grabbing her purse from the table.

Felicity turned to Oliver, hoping for another one of his brilliant excuses, but he looked just as unsure as she did. So, Laurel and Sara went to the store, leaving behind four people, two of which were harboring a huge secret. Felicity left Oliver's side to go sit next to Nyssa, starting a conversation with her about her job. Meanwhile, Tommy and Oliver discussed sports and business, since Tommy was also working at a multi-billion dollar company.

Laurel and Sara came back after about a half hour, claiming to have waited in a line so long, they were almost tempted to forget about the alcohol, and just go through the entire night sober. It didn't take long for Sara to start mixing drinks, taking requests from everyone but Felicity and Oliver. Sara, unfortunately, had no intention of letting Felicity go without drinking, and so she asked her straight out what she wanted.

"I can make you something with cranberry juice," she offered when Felicity took a long time to respond.

Felicity shrugged. "You know what? I'm fine for now. Maybe a little later."

"Since when have you ever refused to drink?" Sara questioned, clearly getting suspicious.

Felicity stalled, taking a moment to think. Just as her lips parted to speak, Tommy voice was ringing out, taking the spotlight off of Felicity. Tommy had somehow made his way to Laurel's side, taking her hand in his and facing the rest of them with a huge grin on his face.

"Laurel and I have an announcement to make," Tommy said, and Felicity's heart stopped. "We were going to wait until we had everyone over to our place, but now is a good a time as any."

Oliver stood up, shaking his head. "No, I think it might be a good idea to hold off until you do get us all together again."

Tommy laughed. "Oliver, I know you may think this is too soon, but-"

"You're not going to ruin this night for us, Tommy," Oliver challenged, making the entire room fall absolutely silent.

"I'm confused," Sara interjected. "Why would whatever Tommy has to say ruin the night? From the looks of it, it's going to be good news."

Oliver sighed, looking down at Felicity, and she got to her feet immediately, taking her place at his side. "Well, we were going to wait until dinner was over before we said anything, but it looks like we don't have a choice anymore."

"Wait for what?" Sara demanded, getting impatient.

Felicity laced her fingers with Oliver's, showing him that she wanted to say it. "I'm pregnant."

No one moved, no one blinked, no one breathed. The room remained silent, and the only reason Felicity knew that time wasn't standing still and she wasn't just in some sort of time freeze, was the consistent squeeze of Oliver's hand against her own, giving her his support. It took several minutes before someone spoke, and when they did, it was Nyssa.

"Congratulations," she said, and it was like the rest of them had come back to life.

Tommy brought Oliver into a hug, while Sara pulled Felicity into her arms, practically crying.

"Felicity, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I'm sorry," Felicity apologized, nearly crying herself now. "I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out, but Oliver and I decided to wait until we reached the end of the first trimester. Then, we had dinner with his family, and Moira guessed that I was pregnant, so we knew we couldn't wait too much longer to tell you guys the news."

Sara pulled back, grinning. "Felicity, this is awesome."

"Really? You think so?" she asked, her words hopeful.

"Of course I do."

Felicity sighed, leaning into her now. "I was really afraid you'd tell me this was crazy. Or that this is all happening way too fast. Or that I needed to learn how to properly use birth control," Felicity listed, and all of them laughed.

"I would tell you those things, if I thought you guys couldn't do this. From the very moment we went out drinking and you told me about him, I knew something was there," Sara recalled, and Felicity flushed as Oliver caught her eye, raising a brow at her since Sara had revealed she'd talked about him. "Then, I saw you guys at my surprise party. Oliver, you were so hopeless with her hating you."

"Yeah, I was," he agreed, his voice rough.

Felicity left Sara's embrace, going over to him. He pulled her into his side, where she seemed to fit perfectly. Everyone remained quiet as Sara continued, making Felicity feel all the more sure that she could do this.

"When I found out you two were finally something - which, probably isn't the best memory to have - I knew that this wasn't going to be some temporary fling. Honestly, if any two people were ready to do this, it's you guys," she finished.

"Sara, that means a lot," Oliver told her. "Thank you."

"Well, our news isn't even as great as that," Tommy said, and everyone faced him and Laurel now. "All we were going to say, is that we decided to move out of Laurel's apartment, and buy a house together. It's a really huge commitment, but we're ready to take this step."

"That's exciting," Oliver responded, and Tommy laughed, shaking his head.

"Just no where near to as exciting as your news is," Tommy guessed, his grin showing he was nothing but happy for them.

Felicity gave Tommy a hug of congratulations. "So, when are you two moving into the new house?"

"Hopefully in a couple months," Laurel answered. "You guys should come check it out. It's _really_ nice."

"Well, with your guys' professions, I'd assume so," Sara commented, pulling Laurel in for a hug. "I don't know about this though, sis. Buying a house with someone is a really big deal."

"My relationship with Tommy is a big deal. I promise you, Sara, we're ready." Laurel smiled. "Plus, if Oliver and Felicity can have a kid together, then Tommy and I can definitely buy a house together."

Oliver brought the attention back on himself when he announced, "And on that note, I think I'll go get started on grilling those burgers now."

"I'll come with you," Felicity offered, thankful when no one else decided to tag along as well.

The grill was in the backyard, far enough from everyone else that Oliver and Felicity would have their own privacy. Oliver started placing the patties over the burning charcoal, and Felicity watched him, thinking about a future where he's doing this exact same thing, an extra member added to their little group. When he was done, he looked at her, smiling so wide, she knew he'd been thinking the same thing.

"Well, they took that news extremely well," he started, wrapping his arms around her waist, and looking down at her.

Felicity leaned up to kiss him, pulling back after a few seconds. "Everyone that matters knows now."

"What about your mom? I know you guys aren't that close anymore, but I think she'd like to know," Oliver told her, and she knew he was telling her this because he truly thought it would be in her best interest.

Felicity looked down. "My mom is pretty content with her life right now. I know that the moment she finds out I'm pregnant, she's going to feel obligated to leave her life behind to come stay with us."

"Hey, we can do whatever you want, okay?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "All I'm saying is that she's going to find out eventually. When we come out as a couple, it's going to be all over the media for awhile, especially when they hear that you're pregnant. Whether or not you want your mom to find out through you or a TV screen is completely up to you. I don't know your relationship with her as well as I'd like to, but just know that I will support you with whatever you decide."

Felicity smiled, pressing her cheek against his chest. "You're too good to me."

"You deserve everything, Felicity," he promised, kissing her head sweetly.

She didn't speak for a few minutes, just holding him. Then, she sighed, coming to a decision. "Okay, we can tell my mom right before we come out to the public. We'll tell her to take the trip here, that way it doesn't look suspicious that the CEO of Queen Consolidated and the head of the IT Department are taking an impromptu trip to Las Vegas."

"Okay," he agreed. "That is what we'll do."

* * *

When Oliver asked her to come along with him to lunch with one of the executives of the Central City branch, she thought he had lost his mind. There was just no logical reason for her to intrude on a meeting with someone so important to Queen Consolidated. The fact that he'd even suggested it blew her mind. Yet, he hadn't acted like what he'd done was insane.

The truth behind his invite, was that since she was the reason the company was thriving in the IT Department, a lot of the higher-ups were interested in her techniques. They wanted to know how she was pulling it off, probably because they wanted to see if they could try and do the same thing. Oliver explained to her that he didn't invite her because he wanted her to go - though that was a bonus - but because the man the lunch was with, George Holloway, had asked for her specifically.

So, that's why she found herself sitting at a table with two men who were so wealthy, they could buy the restaurant they were eating in without noticing the money was missing from their accounts. Yeah, she was a little nervous. Not only did she have to avoid babbling and rambling uncontrollably, but she also had to sit next to the father of her child, and not let it show that she even knew he had a life outside of work.

She told George all about her strategies in the office. She told him about her employees, and how hard they worked. She told him about how she set goals and deadlines for them, demanding the best because she knew they could do it. She also told him about the rewards she would give them for all of their hard work, whether it be the random days she'd order pizza for them, or the holiday parties she'd go all out on.

George and her got along surprisingly well. He was an older man, that lived and breathed his work. He was kind, laughing at her occasional bad puns, and even dishing out a few of his own. He treated her with respect, recognizing her as a vital part of the company.

The entire time they were speaking, Oliver had stayed quiet, letting them talk. He'd looked at her with such pride, such admiration, that she was even more sure of the fact that he was the one for her. It was little things like that that reminded her of how perfect he was for her. It was the way he knew to tell the waitress she was allergic to nuts. It was the way he placed a hand over hers underneath the table whenever she started to get really rambly.

It was the way he spoke about her to George, describing the kind of employee and person she was.

It was a combination of nothing and everything all at once, and she _loved_ him for it.

George left before they did, taking care of the bill and heading out to make it back to the office in time for another meeting. Felicity and Oliver lingered behind, discussing the outcome of the meeting. He praised her a lot, and all she wanted was to crawl into his lap and never let him go.

When they finally decided to leave, she waited outside for the driver to bring Oliver's limo around, while Oliver used the restroom. She tapped her foot, getting lost in her own thoughts about the meeting. She was so caught up in herself, she didn't notice the figure approaching her until he was directly in front of her, a smile on his face.

"Felicity," he said, his tone happy. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Ray," she acknowledged, shifting awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckled. "Lunch with a client. I save my dinners for the special ones," he explained, looking at her in hopes of her showing some sort of agreement to his statement.

She didn't give him one. There was no way she was going to give him the impression that she felt some sort of attraction for him. It had been months since they'd even seen each other, and yet, he acted as though it'd only been days. Clearly, he was still thinking that this was going to go somewhere. Felicity knew it was going to be hard, but she needed to do it.

She needed to tell Ray that she was in a relationship with Oliver.

Her and Oliver were planning on announcing their relationship to the public very soon now. Felicity thought it would be better that Ray found out from her, than from some tabloid who will probably spin the story into something more dramatic than it actually is. So, with her mind made up, she took a deep breath, readying herself for the conversation that she had no idea how he'd react to.

"Actually, Ray," she began, looking down, "I'm seeing someone now. It's... it's pretty serious. Really serious, actually."

His smile dropped, and a more shocked one took its place. "You're- Wow. That's- I mean, that's great, Felicity. I'm glad that you found someone you like so much. Is... Who is it?"

She opened her mouth to answer, really debating whether or not to just rip this bandage off then and there. The only thing stopping her was the look she knew he'd wear after she said Oliver's name. Just then, she heard Oliver voice from behind her, turning around to see him freeze, his eyes landing on Ray.

"Oh, Ray," he murmured, stopping a respectable distance away from Felicity. "What are you doing here?"

Ray looked at him. "Client meeting." He glanced between her and Oliver now. "Are you guys here together?"

"We had a business meeting with one of QC's executives," Oliver explained.

The limo pulled up, and Felicity watched as the driver stopped right next to where her and Oliver were standing. She really wanted to just get inside and drive away from this moment. But she knew she needed to tell Ray. So, giving Oliver a small smile, she beckoned him closer to her. He obeyed cautiously, stepping forward until his chest was against her back.

"What's going on?" Ray asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Felicity swallowed. "Ray, this is the person I'm in the serious relationship with."

Ray's expression didn't change. "You're... you're dating Oliver?"

She nodded. "Yes. We haven't revealed our relationship publicly yet because we don't want it to hurt the company's image. Normally, I wouldn't have told you that, but the circumstances have changed. We can no longer hide our relationship for very long." She paused, looking up at Oliver, to find him staring down at her, his eyes encouraging her on. She grabbed his hand, placing it over her stomach in a way that felt so domestic, she nearly cried. "Ray, I'm pregnant."

"Congratulations," Ray breathed almost instinctively, his words holding nothing but sincerity. "I'm happy for you, Felicity. I really am."

Her lips curved slightly, but it was a sad smile. She felt bad for Ray, but she hadn't done anything to ever give him the impression that she liked him. This was all better than him finding out through another source.

"Thank you, Ray."

Ray smiled, looking up at Oliver. "Congrats, man. I know we've both done things to hurt the other's company, but you don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone about this. I promise."

"I appreciate that," Oliver responded, seeming a little shocked.

Ray nodded, lingering for another couple seconds, before taking his first few steps towards the entrance to the restaurant. "I should get to that client meeting now," he said. "Goodbye, guys. And good luck."

"Bye," Felicity murmured, following him with her eyes until he was gone.

Though Ray had left, Oliver and Felicity stayed in the same place. She sunk into him, tilting her head back to look at him. He was already staring down at her, his smile growing as he placed both hands over her stomach like she knew he loved to do. She couldn't help but grin, forcing the thoughts of what had just happened away to enjoy that simple moment.

Then, Oliver hesitantly stepped away from her to open the door to the limo, and she quickly stepped inside. He had the divider up before the door was even closed, knowing that they would need their privacy. After shutting the door behind him, he pulled her into his embrace, keeping her to him with a caution she knew he had for her because of the baby.

"That was a really big deal," he told her, speaking right into her ear.

Her hands clutched onto him as she nodded. "Yeah, but I knew that was the right way to handle it. I didn't want him to have to hear it from the media."

"I understand," Oliver assured. "But is it wrong that it felt good to tell him? I mean, not just because he's my archnemisis and he has a thing for you, but because we got to tell someone about us who wasn't either a really good friend, or a close family member." He paused, letting out a sigh. "Felicity, it felt good to have someone else know."

"It did," she agreed, pulling back from his hug. "Maybe we should start discussing coming out to the public again."

He nodded. "I think you're right. Let's talk to Walter about it. Maybe we can figure out a good time to break the news to everyone. Felicity, this could be out in a few weeks."

"Is it weird that I'm not freaking out that much?" she questioned, making him laugh.

"No, because as long as we have each other, there is nothing to freak out about. Everything is going to be okay, Felicity. I can promise you that." Before she could tell him how lucky she was to have him, he was speaking again. "But we have to tell your mom first, remember? Why don't we have her over this weekend?"

Her skin paled, she could feel it. "This weekend? Wow, um..."

He laughed. "Felicity, you feel more comfortable telling thousands of people than you are telling your own mother?"

"You haven't met her yet."

He nodded. "True, but I want to. I know I've never mentioned it before, but I really would like to get to know the woman who raised you. You've met my family, and I know your mom is really the only family you have. Meeting her is definitely something I'm looking forward to."

"Wow," Felicity murmured, feeling speechless. "Well, okay then. I'll call her tonight, and invite her over this weekend."

"Good," Oliver replied, bringing his lips to her's once again.

The limo came to a sudden stop right at the good part. Oliver's hands were just starting to frame her face like he knew she loved. Felicity groaned in frustration, knowing Oliver was just as disappointed as she was. Sighing, she broke away, readying herself for the role she'd need to get in to now that she was expected to be professional around him.

As they stepped out, barely sparing one another a second glance as they headed towards the front entrance, Felicity heard Oliver mutter, "Pretty soon, I'll be able to kiss you wherever I want, whenever I want."

"But, honey," she started, using the term of endearment she used whenever she was about to say something meant for his ears only, "you already are able to kiss me wherever you want."

They stepped onto the elevator, and he raised an eyebrow at her, looking so sexy while doing it that she had to bite her tongue. "Yes, and the first thing I'm going to do once we're back at our place is remind myself of that."

They didn't say another word to each other. Felicity got off on her floor, and he got off on his. Though she wasn't speaking, her mind was definitely working. She couldn't stop obsessing over the fact that he'd called his house their place, which meant that he'd started thinking of it like that. Honestly, she spent so much time there than at her own place, she was starting to see his house as their place, too.

Maybe it was time they made that official.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts! :)


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the amazing reviews from the last chapter!

It turned out, Donna Smoak could not come down to Starling City that weekend after all. Felicity had called her mom, who'd spent five minutes screaming out of joy that Felicity had been the one to call _her_ , and had asked her if she could spend the weekend there. Her mom had worried something was wrong, so Felicity'd had to assure her that everything was fine.

Donna couldn't take anymore time off of work, and the weekends were the busiest for her. She told Felicity that she couldn't come down that weekend, but maybe a few weeks after. Felicity knew that couldn't happen, since her and Oliver were planning on announcing their relationship to the public a few days after they would have returned from seeing her.

Felicity told Oliver about her mother's incapability to come to their place for the weekend, and Oliver had everything figured out within a matter of seconds. His plan was to fly out there to her, the exact thing they'd decided _against_ previously. She almost reminded him of the flaw in that plan, but he had an answer for that to. There wasn't any paparazzi on a private jet.

So, with the new plan set in motion, the other details started to fall into place. They'd both be taking the rest of the week off from work, and would be returning Sunday morning. They'd stay at a hotel near her mom, checking in under fake names. And, just because they didn't want to be reminded of anything work-related the four days they would be there, they warned everyone important to them that their phones would be off for the duration of their visit.

Felicity was surprised by how dedicated Oliver was to getting to know her mother. He was looking forward to seeing her more than Felicity was. It wasn't that she didn't love her mother, because she loved her just as much as any daughter should love their mother, she just could be a lot to handle at times. Felicity wasn't going to deny that she was kind of eager to see how Oliver reacted to her.

That eagerness lasted all the way until they were on the Queen jet, their bags all packed up, and the pilot just awaiting Oliver's order to take off. Oliver quickly instructed him to depart, and the reality of the situation slapped Felicity in the face as soon as solid ground was no longer beneath them. She panicked because she now knew, there was no going back.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked, immediately sensing her uneasiness.

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but failed miserably. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I guess I'm barely realizing what's about to happen. In a few hours, you're going to meet my mom. We're going to tell her I'm pregnant. With _your_ child."

Oliver chuckled, his eyes locked with hers. "Felicity, there is nothing to be worried about. I'm sure your mom will be thrilled for us."

"Yeah, I know she will be," Felicity agreed. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"Okay... then what is it?"

She closed her eyes, sensing how ridiculous she was being, but telling him anyways. "I'm just worried that my mom will meet you, and see nothing but dollar signs."

Oliver remained quiet for a few seconds, before letting out an amused/breathy laugh, "What?"

She groaned. "I know I've never told you this before, but money was kind of a luxury we didn't have growing up. My mom always dated rich guys because she liked to depend on their bank accounts. She always would encourage me to marry a rich guy-" She paused, her body flaring in panic. "-not that we're getting married, or are _going_ to get married. Well, I mean, I _am_ carrying your child, but of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that we have to get married-"

"Felicity," he interrupted, his eyes dancing with humor.

"Right, sorry," she apologized, trying again. "All I'm trying to say, is that I'm worried my mom will meet you, and assume that I'm with you because you are rich. And that is absolutely not the case, because even if you were to go bankrupt and lose every penny to your name, I'd still be with you-"

He cut her off again, but this time with his lips. She sighed into his mouth, letting her shoulder sag and her body relax into his warmth. His hands cradled her face, his thumbs stroking over her cheeks as he kissed her, steadying her thoughts, and anchoring her back to him. When he pulled away, her skin was flushed, and she felt one hundred times better.

"Look, your mom can assume whatever she wants about me and our relationship. I'm going to make sure she knows the truth, but if she chooses not to believe it, then that's not our problem. Whatever happens on this trip, Felicity, just know that you are coming back with me, and we are going to live incredible lives together."

"Yeah?" she murmured, her eyes watering.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay," she breathed, sinking into his side. "I feel better."

"Good," he said, wrapping one arm around her back. "Now, let's try to get some rest. It's early, and I wouldn't want my baby mama to be sleep deprived."

She raised an eyebrow at him, watching as he fought off his grin. "Baby mama? Really?"

He shrugged. "It's a lot easier than saying 'the mother of my child'."

"You are something else, Oliver Queen," she stated, cuddling back into him.

"And you are everything, Felicity Smoak," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "You're _my_ everything."

His hand rested over her stomach lovingly, and that was really all she needed before she was asleep, cradled into the side of the man she was irrevocably in love with, and who was just as in love with her.

God, their child was lucky.

* * *

They landed in Las Vegas a few hours later, and without even looking outside, they both could feel the change in the atmosphere. This was the city of sin, and Oliver vaguely remembered trips there with Tommy in his younger years, the memories hazy due to the amount of alcohol he'd consumed. Felicity was extremely tense once the pilot announced their arrival, and Oliver didn't know how he could calm her down.

He never got this nervous around his family. Even when his mother had guessed Felicity was pregnant, he remembered remaining calm about it, and only wanting to get to the bottom of things. The way Felicity was acting was completely foreign to him, which was why he didn't have a clue as to how he should handle it. So, when they got off the jet and were on their way to their hotel in the limo that had been provided to them, Oliver took a shot at trying to make her feel better.

"You know, the hotel's supposed to be the best one on the strip," he informed her, recalling reading that from the website when he'd booked the rooms.

"Hmm?" Felicity responded, clearly distracted if the way she was worrying her lip and gazing out the window was any indication.

Oliver stifled a groan at how unbelievably sexy he found it when she did that, reminding himself that this was about making her feel better. "Yeah. And there's a buffet downstairs that's open all the time. It even has a chocolate fountain."

That got her to glance up at him, her eyes hopeful. "Really?"

"Mhm," he confirmed, knowing how the pregnancy had been making her crave an insane amount of chocolate. He leaned in close, his eyes still locked with hers, before they fell to her lower lip, which was swollen from her fussing with it. "They let you take a plate upstairs. Maybe we can grab some of the chocolate, and I can eat it off of you."

"Yeah?" she whispered, and now he knew he had her full attention.

Slowly, he nodded. "Yeah."

"I love you."

He smiled, considering that plan a success. "I love you, too."

The limo came to a stop, and Oliver glanced through the tinted window, seeing that they'd reached the hotel. He looked back to Felicity, smiling at her softly, before pecking her lips and getting out of the car. The driver opened her door for her, while Oliver got their things out from the trunk. A man came out of the hotel to take their bags, leaving Oliver and Felicity to check in.

They'd requested separate rooms to remove suspicion, though Oliver was planning on her coming into his room as soon as they were alone. The rooms were joined by a door, so Felicity and him could easily slip back and forth between the two of them. Oliver approached the counter, addressing the man behind the computer.

"Hi, my business partner and I have just arrived. We have two rooms booked."

The man barely even glanced at them. "Names?"

"It should be under Jonas and Meghan," he answered, clearing his throat to come off as less suspicious.

It took a few seconds, but soon the man was handing them two separate room keys, thanking them for choosing that hotel. Oliver would have complained about the service, but he was just too damn excited to be away from the rest of the world with the woman he loved. They practically raced to the elevator, where their bags were brought on with them.

Just for show, they went in through their separate rooms, immediately opening that conjoined door once they were behind closed doors. Felicity looked so gorgeous in her sundress, and Oliver was reminded of the appreciation he held for the fuller breasts brought on by her pregnancy. She glanced up at him, clearly recognizing the look in his eyes, because she gave him one in return, crossing her arms over her chest, and making her breasts look even larger.

He groaned.

"We haven't even been at the hotel for five minutes, and you're already ready to break in the bed?"

He took a step closer to her. "You're just lucky I didn't try anything on the flight over here."

"Jet sex," she gasped, closing her eyes. "That would have been _amazing_."

Oliver laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "There's always the flight back."

"You promise?"

"I promise," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

She smiled into the kiss, running her hands up his back. Oliver pressed her to him, slipping his tongue past her lips. When she moaned, he held her closer, loving the noise more than he could muster. As his hands dragged back up to her face, he kissed her mindlessly, an agenda of something else entirely on his mind. While she was distracted by his lips, he raised her dress up, bunching it at her breasts.

Breaking away from her mouth, he dropped to a crouch, placing his lips at her stomach. He knew she loved it when he did that, almost as much as he loved doing it. It made him feel closer to their baby, and reminded him that all of this was really happening. He sucked small kisses all over her soft skin, outlining them with his palms. Felicity shivered, and he glanced up at her, spotting the heat in her eyes.

"Oliver..." she trailed off, and he knew she was growing impatient with him.

He smirked, rising to his feet again, planning on doing some more teasing. Instead, Felicity caught him by surprise when she tackled his lips with her own, nearly bruising him from the force. He moaned in surprise, steadying himself, and resting his hands on her ass. Felicity slid her hands over his chest, her fingers working to undo his buttons at an insane pace.

He tried to protest at her speed, but she wasn't having it. She shoved him onto the mattress, moving to straddle his lap. Then, she was pushing his shirt down his shoulders, beginning to lick her tongue over the column of his throat. He felt his eyes start to roll, and set a hand on her back, balancing her as she continued to undress him.

"Have I told you how much I love when you take charge?" he breathed, thinking back on how ever since the pregnancy, she'd been more aggressive with him in the bedroom.

She chuckled hoarsely, brushing her hand over his rapidly hardening length. "Oh, honey, you don't have to tell me. I can tell."

He groaned for a mixture of reasons, feeling his hips swirl upwards and into her hand, his body seeking the friction she was giving away. "God, you're fucking perfect."

Before anyone else could say another word or make another move, there was a brisk knock at the door, sending Felicity fleeing from his lap, and onto the other side of the bed. Oliver was on his feet instantly, sliding his arms through his dress shirt, and redoing the buttons as fast as possible. Felicity was already heading for her room, prepared to shut the conjoined door if necessary.

The knock occurred again, and Oliver started making his way towards it. He unlocked the door, swinging it open just enough for whoever was on the other side to be seen. He was surprised when he felt a body fly against his own, knocking the breath out of him. He caught the figure - a woman - and let the door go, sending it closing with a soft click.

"Excuse me, who are you?" he demanded, his brows furrowed.

The woman just kept squeezing him, shrieking in joy. Oliver could see Felicity enter the room, her expression both confused, and enraged. Yeah, he'd look the same way if some random man launched himself at her. Before Oliver had the chance to scrape the woman off of him, she was running at Felicity, locking her arms around her neck. Felicity suddenly looked shocked, her arms reluctantly wrapping around the woman.

"Mom," she acknowledged, and Oliver felt like he'd been slapped in the face. "What are you doing here?"

Donna Smoak finally pulled away, grinning. "Baby, when you told me you were staying here, I couldn't believe it. Why in the world would you ever stay in a hotel, when you can come stay with me? Then, the nice man in the front told me he saw a woman of your description walk in with somebody, and it all made sense, sweetie. This is him, right? The reason you came down here?"

Oliver blinked, wondering how the hell she'd pieced everything together so quickly.

"Mom, we were going to tell you everything tomorrow," Felicity sighed, shooting Oliver an apologetic look.

He stepped in. "No, it's fine. I was looking forward to meeting you, Ms. Smoak. Felicity has told me so many great things about you."

"Felicity, he's so handsome!" Donna exclaimed, making Oliver flush.

Felicity groaned, shaking her head. "Mom..."

"What's your name?" Donna asked him, still beaming.

"Oliver."

The smile fell from her face, and her lips parted in recognition. "You're... You're Oliver... Queen? As in billionaire? As in CEO of Queen Consolidated?"

"That would be me," Oliver confirmed with a chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Felicity!"

"Mom!" Felicity interrupted, tugging her mom so that she was closer to her. "I'm not with him because of his money, okay? I love Oliver a lot, and I'd appreciate it if we spent these next few days ignoring his bank account."

"Of course, sweetie," Donna assured. "I'm just happy you found someone you love so much."

Donna suddenly looked around, taking in the fact that Felicity's hair was messy from their previous activities, her dress wrinkled from the way he'd bunched it up in his hands. Oliver glanced down at himself, seeing that he'd failed to line up his buttons correctly, and he knew his hair was at least a little fussed. Donna brought her hands to her lips, her eyes landing on the rumpled sheets where Felicity had just been straddling him on.

"Oh my God. I didn't realize I'd interrupted something," she gushed, her face bright red. "I can get out of your hair, if you'd like. The plan had been to meet for dinner tomorrow anyways."

"We were just..." Oliver started, not knowing how to finish that sentence.

Donna looked at him expectantly, before Felicity took her gaze away, saving him from even more embarrassment. "Mom, how about we go for a walk? It's been so long since we've seen each other. I'm sure Oliver doesn't mind."

"Of course not," he agreed. "You guys have fun. I'll just watch something on television."

"Actually, sweetie, I have to get back to work. I'm on break right now, but they'll be expecting me back any minute now. I only wanted to come say hi," Donna said, frowning.

Oliver resisted the urge to pump his fist into the air, knowing that he'd been looking forward to getting to know Felicity's mom for a long time now, so he really shouldn't be so thrilled by the fact that she was currently too busy to hang out at the moment. He had just really been looking forward to what would probably be happening between him and Felicity had her mom not unexpectedly dropped by.

"Oh," Felicity murmured, wrapping her fingers around her arm. "Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Donna beamed. "Yes, you will. It was so good to see you again, sweetie." She gave Felicity a tight hug, swaying her back and forth softly. "And, Oliver, it was nice to meet you. I knew there was a reason my daughter was so eager to see me again. You are definitely better looking than anything I could have imagined."

"Mom," Felicity warned, and Donna kept her grin, walking over to the door.

"Okay, bye," she drawled over her shoulder, leaving almost as abruptly as she'd come in.

Oliver locked the door behind her, not wanting to take anymore chances this time. Sighing, he turned to face Felicity, finding her sitting at the edge of the bed, her face in her hands. Cautiously, he approached her, taking a tentative seat next to her.

"That was so embarrassing," she grumbled, and he could hear that edge in her voice.

The one that told him she was close to tears.

"Felicity, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Your mom... I thought she was great. She clearly cares about you a lot," he reassured her, placing a hand on her back comfortingly. "If it's even possible, I'm looking forward to this trip _more_ now."

"Really?" she whispered, removing her hands from her face.

His lips quirked, his heart swelling at the sight of her looking at him like he was the only person who could make her feel better at the moment. "I promise."

"You're making a lot of promises, mister," she said, leaning into his side.

Wrapping his arms around her, he lowered his voice, speaking right against her head. "And I plan on keeping each and every one of them."

Felicity let out a noise of content, removing herself from his side, and shoving him onto his back. Quickly, she straddled his lap, and he grinned up at her, the breath completely knocked out of him from the suddenness of her movements, and the fact that it was her. Felicity set her hands to work at his pants, making sure to rub against him as much as possible.

"I think it's time we broke in this bed, don't you think?"

He couldn't fight the delirious grin that shone out of his face, as he nodded in agreement. "I think you are very right, Felicity Smoak. Come here."

She lowered her body onto his, molding into him, kissing him senseless, and making him feel more content than he ever had in his entire life.

And she didn't even realize it.

* * *

"Stop it. You have nothing to be worried about," Oliver murmured, his hand squeezing hers as they entered the restaurant where her mom was waiting for them at a table in the back.

Yeah, that was easy for him to say. He wasn't the one with the inappropriate mother who turned even the smallest of things into huge deals. Felicity was nervous for a number of things tonight, but the biggest one was her mother's reaction to finding out she was pregnant. They were saving that one for dessert though. There was no way they were announcing their pregnancy before the appetizers were even served.

Felicity got to the table first, making her presence known to her mother, who was focused on the cocktail menu. She glanced up at them once Oliver pulled out the chair for Felicity, taking a seat right next to her. A grin broke out onto her face, and Felicity said a tiny prayer that she would refrain from screaming in this very nice restaurant Oliver was so generously paying for their meal at.

"You guys made it!" she beamed.

Felicity smiled tightly. "Of course we did, mom."

"You didn't think we were going to cancel on you, did you?" Oliver asked, smiling almost as wide as her mom was.

Donna knocked it down a notch, getting a sad gleam in her eyes. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've been stood up." She seemed to realize what she'd said, because she suddenly let out an awkward laugh, brightening up again. "I know I just saw you yesterday, but you look like you've gotten so much more handsome!"

"Thank you," Oliver chuckled. "You look very lovely tonight, Ms. Smoak."

"Call me Donna," she pleaded, her eyes shooting to where Oliver's arm was wrapped lovingly around Felicity's back. "Or, you might as well just start calling me Mom now, I guess."

"Mom," Felicity groaned, covering her eyes with her hand.

Donna played the innocent card. "What? Oh, c'mon, sweetie. I'm your mother, and I can tell when you've found the one. He's already looked at you in ways your father never looked at me."

"I love your daughter more than I thought was ever possible," Oliver confessed, and Felicity looked up at him, a small smile settling on her face. "She has made me the happiest man on the face of the earth. I'm glad that you can tell Felicity has found the one with me, because I know I certainly have with her."

Donna was nearly leaking tears, and Felicity swiped her's away, placing a chaste kiss to Oliver's lips. Some sort of squeal left her mother's throat, and Felicity looked over to her, only to find her with her hands to her mouth, grinning excitedly.

"I am so happy for you," she cried, trying to compose herself, but failing miserably. "Oliver, you are the greatest thing that could have happened to my daughter. All I've ever wanted is for her to have everything I never did. Thank you for making my job a hell of a lot easier."

Felicity smiled at her mom, placing her hand on top of hers. "Mom, you've given me so much, okay? I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie."

A waiter approached them out of nowhere, completely oblivious to the moment they were all having. "Hello, my name is Henry, and I'll be your server for tonight. Can I start you off with any drinks?"

Donna made an effort to stop crying, giving their server a polite smile. "Yes, I'd like a diet coke, please."

Felicity was shocked her mother was avoiding the alcohol for the time being, turning to face the man taking their orders. "I'd like an iced tea, please."

"And for you, sir?"

"Water is fine for me," Oliver replied, giving him a polite smile. "Thank you."

They managed to avoid any more cry-worthy moments that night, which Felicity was grateful for since she knew her mother would definitely be shedding tears once she heard the big news. Dinner was incredible, making them too stuffed to even consider dessert. Felicity knew now was the exact moment she was supposed to tell her mom everything, but she couldn't find her voice.

Oliver was looking down at her, clearly expecting her to make the announcement. Well she couldn't, apparently, and so she gave him a look that told him he could take care of it. He smiled at her, giving her hand quick squeeze, before facing her mother with serious eyes. Donna seemed to sense the shift at the table, because she straightened up, giving Oliver an expectant look.

"So, Donna, there is more to the reason why Felicity is down here other than the fact that she missed you," Oliver began, drawing in a deep breath, preparing himself for the news her mother was holding her breath to find out about. "My company is being looked at really closely right now. The public is looking for any signs of me screwing up, and so my relationship with Felicity is unknown to anyone besides family."

"Well, if you're worried that I'm going to tell, then-"

"No, of course not," Oliver interrupted, taking care of her worry quick. "It's just that... Felicity and I weren't planning on coming out with the news of our relationship until the company was in a place where it could withstand news like this. Fate had other plans for us in mind, and new factors had to be taken into consideration. We're at a point where we've discussed releasing news of our relationship to the public, and so we're here to tell you about it first, and tell you what the factor was that determined the haste of all this."

Donna looked confused. "Okay..."

"Ms. Smoak- _Donna_ \- what I'm trying to tell you- What Felicity and I have to say is-"

"I'm pregnant," Felicity blurted, the suspense of it all nearly killing her.

It seemed like the entire restaurant went quiet, and Felicity dug her fingers into Oliver's arm, panicking even more with each passing second her mother didn't react to the news. Then, she broke out into the biggest grin Felicity has ever seen on her, and surprisingly, no screaming ensued.

"I am so happy for you," she breathed, her eyes watering. "You are going to be an amazing mom, sweetie. And, Oliver, I can already tell you're going to be an incredible father. This... this is the best news you could have given me. I'm-" She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "I'm going to be a grandmother!"

"You are taking this so well, Mom," Felicity responded, nearly brought to tears. "You have no idea how much to means to me- to _us_. Thank you."

"Of course I am," Donna said. "You're my daughter, and you're starting a family with a man who loves you more than you could ever know. Why wouldn't I be taking this well?"

Felicity just gave her mom a smile, looking up at Oliver. Oliver was smiling as well, clearly just as touched by the moment and her mother's kind words. They jumped around from topic to topic after that, enjoying the rest of the night without any worries. Now, her and Oliver could finally come out with their relationship once they returned to Starling City.

And she wasn't worried about it in the slightest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts! :)

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably get the other chapters from Fanfiction.net posted on here very quickly. Review for Chapter Two!


End file.
